Shared Past, Shared Future
by angel-castiel-rules-the-world
Summary: A difficult case effects Deeks more than it should. The team don't know what's wrong with the detective, well not all of them. One does. And he knows if he is to help the other man then he was going to have to bare his soul. It was time for Callen and Deeks to talk about their pasts, and find their family. Set around season 2/3. Eventual Deeks/Callen pairing. Extended from Oneshot.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello again my dears. Okay, I have written this as a oneshot, but… I do have an idea that could make it into a multi-chapter story. Which would have Deeks/Callen relationship pairing involved. Let me know what you think, if you want me to continue it or leave it as it is, via review.**

 **Anyway that being said, time to get on with the story. So first things first: I'm sorry for any grammatical or spelling errors, being dyslexic I find it very hard to spot them if Word doesn't pick them up.**

 **I hope you like this latest wandering of my mind.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS: LA.**

* * *

Deeks sat on the sand, staring out across the ocean, trying to regain the equilibrium of his mind. But he knew he couldn't. It would take more than this. It would take more than the peace of this place to calm his raging soul. He couldn't believe he had blown up so much at this case. Sure it hit far too close to home for his liking, but really? Did he really need to yell at the team and tell them without words, things he was definitely not ready to share? He didn't want anyone to know of the shit he had gone through. But somehow, he had let it all out. Damn it. Why had he done that? He needed to get a control of himself and think of some explanation for his behaviour. Because there was no way he was going to tell any of them the truth.

They didn't need to know about his past. It was in the past. Even if he had let their latest case affect him in a way none of the others had done before. But seriously, how was he supposed to response when it turned out a kid had killed his dad because of the abuse he had been subjected to? That added to the fact that the team were talking about prosecuting the boy…

It was all too similar to what he had done. What he had been through. Okay sure he hadn't killed his father, but he had shot him, and he had been prosecuted for it. Damn it. Why couldn't they leave the kid alone? He had tried to argue that point, but he knew it wouldn't work. None of them knew what it was like to be in such a place as the one the boy had been in, such as he had been in. No one understood, no one could understand, and a part of him was grateful for that. That they had never had to experience that in their lives. But another part, a part that was still the child crying out for help as he was dragged into a police car, wished they got where the kid was coming from. He wished one of them would be there for him, as no one had been there for him.

* * *

Callen stood in the boat shed with the rest of his team, all staring at the door Deeks had just walked out of.

"What's his problem?" Sam asked, not unkindly, more a case of wanting to understand why Deeks had just blown up at them at the idea that the prosecuting the kid who had killed his dad. I mean there was no question that the kid would get off, it was obvious to all it was self-defence, so why did Deeks go postal all of a sudden?

"I have no idea." Kensi replied with a worried frown as she stared after her partner. She wanted to go after him, but she had no idea what to say, or even why he had behaved as he had.

"You two go back to the ops, write up your reports. I'll take the kid to booking." Callen said, not answering Sam's words. He had a very good idea why Deeks had behaved as he had, but he wasn't going to share that with his colleagues. He knew neither of them would understand in their soul what was effecting the detective. But he did. He knew. He had been there himself. Maybe not his dad, but his foster parents. Therefore his first port of call was to make sure the kid they had in custody had a good home to go to, and a good lawyer to defend him. That was if he couldn't get the charges dropped with a little help from Hetty. That would be the best thing in his mind.

Then he would go after Deeks. He was pretty sure he was the only one who could possibly understand what was going through the younger man's head right now.

It didn't take Callen long to make sure the kid was looked after, especially considering he called in a favour of the only social worker he had ever liked to take control of him. He knew he would be fine now, in a decent house, and there was no way he would be charged. Therefore he turned his mind to his next problem. Detective Marty Deeks. Where was he now? Where would Deeks go when he was hurt? Callen didn't know, he didn't know Deeks that well, but he had an idea. It was a long shot, but it was all he had. Therefore he drove down to the beach, hoping that Deeks' love for the waves was ingrained so much that he would come to them for solace.

* * *

Deeks mind was in turmoil, but he was still a cop. Therefore he registered the footsteps through the sand as them came closer to him even as he noticed that at some time the sun had set around him. He didn't remember that happening but that didn't matter now. Without thought his hand drifted to his gun, ready to pull it at the any moment.

"It's just me Deeks." Came a voice out of the darkness. A body accompanied it, showing itself to be G Callen. He had no idea why he was here, or how he had found him, but Deeks really wasn't up for company.

"I want to be alone."

"I understand that."

Silence followed that sentence but by the way Callen settled himself into the sand next to him Deeks guessed he wasn't getting what he wanted. There was a surprise.

The silence was finally broken by Callen, speaking words he had never said to anyone else in his life. Yet he made sure he tone was light, as if he was discussing the weather rather than the past. Deeks needed to know he wasn't alone, and if that took Callen giving up a piece of himself, then he was willing. That was what friends did for one another right? That's what family did, right?

"The first time someone hit me was when I was six. I had been in the home for two days before the dad got drunk and decided I was the perfect punch bag. I was there for three weeks before I ended up in hospital and they took me away. The next was better, good family. But soon I was relocated to another which wasn't so nice. I learnt quickly after that two things. One to make myself scarce whenever anyone had been drinking, and two to not trust anyone. When I got older I also learnt to fight back. That was my childhood, fighting to survive, and running whenever I could. It's not nice, and it's not pretty, but it happened. It made me who I am today, someone who is determined to protect others… the kid won't go to jail. Just as you didn't.-"

"What you talking about?" Deeks interrupted his mind latching onto Callen's final words with fear that maybe his secret wasn't so secret after all. That maybe he knew, that maybe they all knew, just what a pathetic case he had been as a child. Forced to shoot his own father to stop the pain.

"I know Deeks. I've always known. I'm your team leader, I've seen your file. I came here to tell you if you needed to talk, I'm here. I understand, where others don't." Callen replied in a gentle voice, though he made sure to not sound as if he was pitting the younger man. And in truth he didn't, he respected him for doing what he did, in awe that he had the courage needed to protect not just himself but his mom as well, and all at the age of 11. There were grown men who never showed the courage this man had when he was still a child.

"You were in foster care right?" Deeks asked when he had finally gotten his head around Callen's words, and calmed himself. G didn't sound pitting, nor did he sound condemning. But still, he would never know what it took him to do what he did.

"I was, from the age of five until I was fifteen." Callen confirmed simply. There was no escaping that fact from his life after all. He had grown up in the system, he didn't have a family, but he had seen many children in care who were the result of bad parenting.

"That's different. I had only my dad." Deeks responded wanting his words to sound as if Callen couldn't possibly understand, but instead they came out weary. Tired from all he had been put through by the man who was supposed to love and protect him.

"I never had a dad." Callen answered without malice or jealousy. Just a statement of truth said in an even tone, allowing Deeks to vent any way he wished to. Callen didn't care if Deeks took it out on him, that was what friends were for. And he wanted to friends with this young man who had been through so much, and come out the other side stronger for it.

"If mine is any example think yourself luckily." Deeks replied sarcasm lacing his tone, along with bitterness at all he had been through as a child. Callen knew he needed to go further if he was to help his colleague, was to help Deeks.

"I still watched on as men beat others to death. Men who were supposed to look after us. It's not the same I know, but… we wouldn't be who we are without the childhood we had. You are a great cop, and from what I hear you were a great lawyer. You protect people so they don't have to go through what you did." The sincerity in his voice was not lost on the detective at his side, even if Deeks wasn't sure he could believe it. Because they didn't always manage that did they? The kid was case in point in his mind.

"But the kid still did."

"Sometimes people fall through the cracks. We can't save everyone, however much we want to. It doesn't work that way." Callen replied, his low and gentle voice falling into the ocean so that if Deeks felt like being fanciful he could imagine the words themselves came from the waves. The wise words of the ones before. _We can't save everyone, however much we want to_. It was the mantra of anyone in law enforcement, and it was something he had learnt long ago. But it still hurt.

"I know." He whispered back, hating himself even as he did so, his wall starting to crumble around him at the knowledge that he could only do so much to help those who could not help themselves.

"You have us you know. You're not alone anymore." Callen replied in his calm conversational tone. How Deeks envied him that mask. For mask he knew it was, one he himself wore every day. But it had slipped with this case. He wasn't sure if he would ever get it back again right then.

"Is that how you feel? That the team make you not alone?" Deeks asked honestly wanting an answer to the question. Wanting to know if there was any chance that if he continued working with these people he would find his place in life. Find somewhere where he wasn't as alone as he felt far too often in his life.

"Not always, but I try my best. They are the family I want, even if sometimes I don't remember that fact." Callen replied with a self-deprecating smile as he remembered that he was known by some as the tribe of one, and as a lone wolf by others. Always going off on his own to solve those things closest to him. He didn't want Deeks to become like him. He wanted him to trust those around them, to give them a chance to help when he needed it. It was very much as case of do as I say not as I do and Callen knew it. But it was the best he had right then.

"Family, huh?" Deeks asked raising his eyebrow at that. He hadn't thought a guy who had grown up without one, would class the team at NCIS as family. But maybe that was what Callen needed… and maybe it was what he needed to. People who knew him, accepted him for who he was and what he did. He never had that, it was a new idea, but one he liked.

"Yeah, family." Callen nodded definitely. They were family, sure they were dysfunctional and they all had secrets, but that was the way family was, right?

"Does that make you my brother?" Deeks asked to lighten the mood. He was done with the heavy conversation. He needed to take his mind away from it, while seeing if Callen really stood by his words. If he really was prepared to be his family in a way that was new and, if Deeks was truthful with himself, exciting to him.

"Yep, the wiser one." Callen quipped back without thought, his trade mark quirk of a smile appearing on his face as he stared out at the ocean rather than the man next to him who he had just pledged brotherhood to.

"You sure about that? Cos I was thinking Sam was the more wise and you were more-" Deeks started to reply in the time old fashion of younger, annoying brothers that Callen recognised from his many years in the foster care system.

"Don't finish that sentence Martin." He interrupted with a mock glower at the younger man, though he found it very hard to keep the smile off his face. His rash offer of family it seemed was not going to be rejected by the detective. Good. Deeks needed someone, and if it was him, then he was happy to be there for him. Wasn't that the role of older brother after all?

"Wow, Martin. Only my mom calls me that." Deeks responded with a shake of his head at how easily Callen had managed to get him back to himself. And at how easily he had managed to give him his support. Just like family.

"Would you prefer it if I called you M?" Callen asked with a raise of his eyebrow as he turned to the other man, happy now it seemed Deeks was coming back to himself. He wasn't going to let go of the banter just yet. Though even as he said the words he felt a pain shoot through him at the fact he still did not even know he own name. They all had their own demons it seemed.

"Well considering M in the bond movies in the leader of MI5, I thinking maybe-" But before Deeks could say anything more Callen hit his arm, a lot harder than Kensi did. Though still not hard enough to really cause any pain, but he was Deeks. Therefore he made sure he sounded very wounded as he yelped out an "ouch."

"Don't even go there." Callen growled. There was no way he was going to sit here and listen as Deeks cast himself as the leader of MI5 thank you very much.

That sentence was followed by silence as both men reflected on the conversation they had had, about the idea that they could maybe find a new family with each other and the team, and the commitment they had made to each other without a word. A commitment that they had a shared bond, a shared experience that set them aside from their partners, but one which made them who they were. Fiercely protective of those they cared about and making sure the innocent were protected.

Finally Callen broke the comfortable silence. It was time to leave the younger man to his mind, he just hoped he had helped him in some small way. "Call your mom. Talk to her. And if you need more family, you know where to find us, to find me."

"Thanks G." Deeks replied quietly turning to stare at the older man next to him, saying with that look more than he ever could with simple words.

And Callen simply nodded as he stood, bushing sand off his pants, and walks away. Leaving Deeks with a lighter heart and a feeling of belonging that he hadn't had in a very long time, if ever.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello my darlings. Wow, I must say the response to this story is great, and I want to thankcountrygirluk56 (Guest), heyjode, Alessia (Guest), Guest, Guest, elsje1967, French fan (Guest) and Petunia3116 for the wonderful reviews as well as all of you who have followed and favoured.**

 **So obviously I have decided to continue, and therefore have changed the name slightly. This is going to be eventual Callen/ Deeks slash, so if you don't like that idea I would leave it at the oneshot first chapter, though it will not be in any way explicit.**

 **Anyway enough from me, here is the second chapter, I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS: LA.**

* * *

Deeks lay on his couch, listening to the calming mood music he had playing on his laptop, not that it was doing much good. He had taken Callen advice and called his mom, but as soon as he heard her voice he knew he couldn't tell her the real reason he was calling. She carried enough guilt about what had happened to him when he was younger, he wasn't going to add to it and tell her how much it still affected him. So instead they had their usual friendly chat before he could finally hang up and breathe, drop his mask of happy-go-lucky son that nothing ever affected. It was then he had turned on the music, in the hopes it would help him sleep. He had even had a couple of beers, though not to many. No matter what he would never become even remotely like his dad, he would not become that man. He would never depend on alcohol the way he had.

But now he lay there, at three in the morning staring at his ceiling unable to sleep. Or more to the point, every time he tried, images from his past assaulted him, and his eyes flew open quickly as his breathing became laboured. He couldn't go on like this. He didn't understand how this had happened. He had been fine for last ten years, and suddenly, now, he wasn't. He groaned in frustration as he looked down at the phone in his hand, checking if it really was as late as the clock told him it was. He didn't know what to do, he needed sleep, but he knew there was no way he would be able to find it on his own. Not with his head in the mess it still was. The thought of calling Callen kept flittering through his mind, but he couldn't do that right? I mean, sure the guy had said to call him any time he needed to talk, but Deeks doubted he had meant at three in the freaking morning.

So he lay there for another quarter of an hour before he finally gave in and stopped fighting with himself. He guessed this was a good a test as any to see if Callen really did care about him, really meant his family comment. Cos he knew if not, then he was gonna get the biggest ass kicking possible from his team leader. Well that should be fun at least. With the decision made he took a deep breath and pressed the call button.

* * *

Callen was sitting in his one chair, reading a book, a barely touched beer next to him. He knew it was late and he should try to get some sleep, but his mind was still going round. Thinking about Deeks and how he had been on the breach, hoping he was okay, and wondering if maybe he should have stayed with him. But he knew he had done the right thing. The kid needed space to get himself back under control, and he needed normalcy to help rebuild his walls and his mask. Callen just hoped he had helped him in some small way if nothing else. His thoughts were broken by his phone ringing. Frowning down at it he checked the caller ID. Maybe it was ops and they had a new case, but no. The caller was none other than the man he had been thinking about for most of the night. Seemed Deeks wasn't as okay as he was hoping. At least he had had the sense to call him.

"Callen." He replied calmly as he answered.

"Don't you ever sleep?" Came the grumpy voice of the detective down the line. Deeks hadn't really expected Callen to answer his call so soon. He a vague plan that he was going hang up after he had let it ring three times, but he didn't get the chance.

"Not so much. How about you?" Callen asked smiling at the grumpy defensive response. Deeks was making it sound like it was him calling him in the middle of the night rather than the other way round. But Callen was okay with that.

"Usually. A nice eight hours and I'm all good." Deeks replied already feeling himself calm at the sound of the older man's voice. Well that was weird, even if it was subconsciously, or maybe not so subconsciously, why he had called him.

"But tonight?" Callen asked in complete understanding. He should have realised that Deeks wouldn't be able to go back so easily. It took time and sometimes help to rebuild walls like the ones they both had.

"Not so much." Deeks answered using Callen's own words, deciding he really couldn't cope with trying to find a way to explain it down the phone.

And Callen hearing him understood. Therefore standing, and placing his book in his pocket, he made his way to the door as he spoke. "Give me twenty minutes."

"Twenty minutes to do what?" Deeks asked but he soon realised he was taking to nothing. Callen had hung up on him. What was the guy going to do now? Deeks had just started to feel a little better talking with him, but now he was gone and he was alone again. He really didn't like being alone.

Nineteen minutes and 12 seconds later Deeks got his answer. Because it was then that there was a knock at his door which startled him. Though when he went to see who it was he found he really wasn't that surprised. Because there outside his apartment door was none other than G Callen.

* * *

Callen hadn't even really thought about it when he had made his unconscious decision. Deeks needed help, so he was going to help him. Therefore he had climbed into his car and had the great pleasure of being about to drive slightly too fast on the quiet roads of LA. He loved it at this time of night, when most people were in bed and could almost believe it was just him. But even as he enjoyed the freedom of not having to put up with the usual LA traffic, his mind turned over anything and everything he could think of to help Deeks. He didn't really have a plan, he just hoped that him being there would help him somehow, in some way. And he hoped that Deeks didn't tell him leave. He wanted to help his friend, his brother.

Standing at Deeks apartment door he checked his watch and smirked at how he had made it with time to spare before he knocked. He briefly wondered if he should just enter in case Deeks was asleep already, but he knew how he would react to that situation. And he would prefer not to get shot for being an intruder thank you very much.

"What are you doing here?" Deeks asked with a puzzled frown as he opened the door. He wondered why it was that his team leader had decided to make a middle of the night visit to him, even if he had called him asking without words for help.

Callen just rolled his eyes at the question but he did design to answer. "What, can't I just drop round for a coffee?" He asked. He knew Deeks would catch up soon enough, but he also knew it would take a few seconds for him to realise he was here to help. Therefore he pushed past the younger man and made his way into Deeks apartment. It was nicely furnished with a comfortable looking couch, though he wasn't keen on the wave sounds coming from the laptop, therefore he moved quickly to shut them off.

"Hey, they're calming." Deeks whined as the sound disappeared, even if it hadn't been doing its job that night. He was stilling feeling slightly off kilter at having Callen in his apartment. Not because he didn't want him there, but more because he had never expected him to be.

"Not to me they aren't." Callen responded ruefully before sitting himself down in a chair as he stared up at Deeks waiting for him to get himself comfortable as well.

Deeks seeing this, realised that he wasn't going to change the situation. Therefore as he flopped himself back down onto the couch where he couldn't meet Callen's eyes as he grumbled "how do you even know where I live?" But even as he did so he could feel his worry and terror easing slightly, as if the mere presence of the older man was helping him to relax. As if he was safe now and nothing could hurt him. Not even his own mind. Strange, when did Callen's presence have that effect? Or had it always been like that? The calm they all felt before they moved into a building searching for armed suspects, was that due to their training, or the steady, even voice of their leader? Deeks had to consider the idea that it was in truth a bit of both.

"I know where everyone on my team lives." Callen replied simply. He did too, he made a point of it in fact, as well as studying their homes for any weak points and protecting them as best he could. He knew he wasn't alone in that either, though Hetty did it in a more hands off approach.

"Of course you do. So…" Deeks said, wondering what to say now. What they were going to do now Callen was in his home. Yep, still a very surreal situation.

"Go to sleep Marty." Callen ordered calmly as he pulled his book back out of his pocket and switched off the main lights, leaving enough for him to read by and so he could keep an eye on the detective on the couch.

And Deeks didn't even question the order. Instead he closed his eyes and for the first time that night no images assaulted him, leaving him to fall into a not quite restful sleep. But at least it was better than nothing.

Callen looked over at him as his breathing evened out and he couldn't stop the smile that appeared on his face. He was glad the younger man had called him, had reached out. Because at least now he knew Deeks was gonna be okay, that was good enough for him. Thinking that he turned back to his book and settled in for the night.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello my darlings, happy Valentine's Day to you all. I would to thank heyjode, MizzezCallen, LKK (Guest), anonkp, Petunia3116, gypsymooneysgirl7733 and French fan (Guest) for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **To confirm, this is going to be Callen/Deeks slash.**

 **Anyway here is the next chapter, I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS: LA.**

* * *

Deeks woke with the sun streaming through the uncovered window. He found himself rather disorientated when he discovered he had fallen asleep on the couch. He wondered why that had happened a split second before the events of the previous day came back to him. He couldn't stop the groan that came out of his mouth at his behaviour, nor the fervent hope that calling Callen in the middle of the night and having him show up at his place had just been some crazy dream. But as he cracked his eyes open he found himself staring at said man, fast asleep in his armchair. Oh god. Could he be any more embarrassed? It was one thing to storm out of boat shed in a fit of craziness, but to call Callen in the middle of the night? What the hell had he been thinking? Well that was the problem wasn't it? He hadn't been thinking. That was why he had called the guy.

Oh hell, he couldn't do anything about it now. it was in the past, all he could do was work out how he was going to deal with the situation he now found himself in. Therefore pushing his embarrassment away he slowly sat up, trying not to disturb the other man as he carefully made his way to the bathroom, deciding he might as well have a shower before he cooked them both breakfast. I mean feeding the guy was the least he could do when he had interrupted Callen's night by making him come over in his place.

* * *

It didn't take him long to be clean and dressed, but when he made his way back to the livingroom it was to find it was empty. That surprised him a little, he hoped Callen hadn't disappeared already, though that might make things a bit easier. Let them be able to pretend that the previous night hadn't happened, even if he did still feel the need to find a way to say thank you to G. But then his mind caught onto what he was smelling, making a smile grace his lips as he headed towards the kitchen and the coffee machine which Callen had put on.

"Morning. How you feeling?" Callen asked Deeks as soon as he got to the doorway to the kitchen. Without thought he turned from the coffee machine and handed the younger man a cup, as if it was the most natural thing in the world for him to be standing in his kitchen after spending the night sleeping in his chair.

"Hey. Umm, okay… good, I think." Deeks replied stepping into the room to take the cup and enjoy the bliss of his first sip of caffeine for the day. Oh yeah, that was how to start the morning.

"Good. Then I'll get out of your way." Callen responded placing his empty cup in the sink as he made his way towards the door, already thinking about what he needed to do and if he would have time to grab himself something to eat before starting work.

"No wait." Deeks said quickly. Okay sure, no doubt Callen had other things to do, but he wanted to repay him for what he had done for him the previous evening. Even if it was only by feeding the guy. He just hoped Callen would take the gesture for what it was. "I'm gonna cook breakfast, might as well stay for that right?"

Callen looked at Deeks for a moment, trying to decide whether he should stay or not. He really needed to get going, but he could see something lingering in the back of the younger man's eyes. Something that told him that Deeks needed him to stay, just a little bit longer. He wasn't going to desert him now.

"Sounds good. All right if I have a quick shower? I have my go bag in the car so I can change." He replied in a calm and friendly voice, smiling gently as he saw the relief on Deeks face and his shoulders relax.

"Yeah sure. Pancakes okay with you?" Deeks asked as he turned to grab things out of the cupboards. These were gonna be the best damn pancakes he had ever made.

"Great." Callen replied before leaving the room and heading to the door. He needed to grab his bag from the car and as he did so, he sent a quick text to Sam telling him he wouldn't be needing a lift into work that morning. He didn't give an explanation, Sam didn't need to know where he had spent his night. That was between him and Deeks.

Once he was showered and changed Callen made his way back to the kitchen to be greeted by the Marty Deeks he knew. The one he saw every day. It seemed he had his mask firmly back in place. Good. He was going to need it. He doubted Kensi and to a lesser extent Sam, were just going to forget about what had happened the previous day. He just hoped that when they asked their questions, Deeks was going to be up to answering them, without the cracks showing once more.

* * *

It didn't take long for the two of them to finish eating and make their way out to their cars. Both driving off in the direction of ops, but due to his slightly faster driving style Callen arrived a few minutes before Deeks did. Though he was still later than the other two members of his team.

"Well, well. If it isn't the dirty stop out." Sam called out with a cheeky grin as he watched G walk into the bullpen. He had taken note of the fact that G was wearing the clothes he kept in his go bag, and he really wanted to know exactly where his partner had spent the evening. And more importantly, with who.

"Excuse me?" Callen asked in confusion as he put his bag by his desk and turned to look through the paperwork he had to do that day.

"What's her name?" Sam demanded smiling at how evasive G was being. That meant there was definitely a story to tell. He couldn't wait to find out what it was.

"Whose name?" Callen asked frowning at his partner now. What the hell was Sam on about?

"The girl you spend last night with." Sam explained as if he was talking to a child. His partner could pretend to be so dense sometimes. But he was not going to be fooled.

"I didn't spend last night with any girl." Callen replied with a shrug as he turned back to his desk. It wasn't a lie. He had definitely not been with any girl last night.

"Really? You got yourself a man G?" Sam asked smirking, because well you never knew with his partner. And hey, it was a hell of a lot of fun winding the guy up.

At that Callen just glared at Sam. He was not even going to dignify that question with an answer.

"What's this? Callen's got himself a love life?" Kensi asked joining in with a chuckle at how her team leader's glare turned from his partner to her. She really should know better, she had to sit next to him when they were in the office, he could make her life hell if he wanted to.

"Wait, what? Callen's got a girlfriend?" Deeks asked hearing only the question from Kensi and deciding that this was a much better topic of conversation than his partner asking how he was or any of them treading on eggshells around him. This was normal, and he really needed for things to be normal today.

Sam turned to the younger man and quickly looked him up and down. He seemed the same as he always was. Whatever it was that had upset him yesterday, there was no evidence of it this morning. Good. But before he could open his mouth and explain to the kid what they were talking about, and get him to join in the general ragging on G, his partner answered for him.

"Yeah, her names Martina." Callen replied having decided that if Deeks was going to make fun of him, he would get his own back. After all it was with him he had spend the previous evening, even if it wasn't in the way Sam and Kensi were obviously thinking, the dirty minded people that they were.

Deeks couldn't help the chuckle that he quickly turned into a cough when he heard the name. He guessed Sam was asking about where Callen had spent his night, though how the other agent knew he hadn't been at home Deeks had no clue. But hey, he was never one to back down from a conversation. Therefore getting himself under control he turned to Callen with a smirk. "Oh yeah? What's she like then?"

But before Callen could properly reply their conversation was interrupted by the sound of a whistle coming from balcony above. It seemed they had a case. But that didn't stop Callen from answering Deeks question, though he did it in a voice that was intended to be heard by only him.

"Irritating, annoying, terrible sense of humour-"

"Hey." Deeks interrupted with fake offense, though he was smiling at Callen when he turned around with a raised eyebrow and a look that said, well you did ask.

And Sam, who was following them both up the stairs suddenly realised exactly where G had been the previous night. He had been helping Deeks deal with whatever his issues had been the previous day. It was then he remembered that G had never answered his question when he wanted to know what was wrong with the younger man, and he realised it was probably because G knew exactly what had been going on. Sam was okay with that. He didn't need to know, but he was glad to know that Deeks had someone he could talk to about it. His partner was good at being there for the team, for his family, and yeah he could see that now G's family included Deeks. Good. Everyone needed someone sometime. And the more people his partner had the better in his mind.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello my lovelies. I would like to thank Petunia3116 and French fan (Guest)** **for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update. You are all awesome.**

 **So here is the next chapter, I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS: LA.**

* * *

By the end of the day Deeks was at the end of his tether. He had been dodging Kensi questions about what had upset him so much the previous day, and now all he wanted to do was go home and collapse. Go home and stop forcing himself to be the man everyone at NCIS knew him to be. He also needed to spend some time coming up with something that he could tell his partner that would explain his behaviour. He would not tell her the truth. No way, that was his, and it seemed Callen's secret. And it was one he was not willing to share, ever if he could help it. But he needed to say something, he just had no idea what.

Therefore as soon as the case was closed he practically ran from the building before she could suggest a drink or some other relaxed actively that would mean he would have to share. You know, like beating the crap out of him in the gym or something. Yeah, no. He was not going to do anything like that that night.

And now he was lying on his couch, still not able to think of anything, but also considering he should probably eat something. It was then that there was a knock at his door. His first thought was that it was Kensi coming to grill him yet again and he couldn't stop the groan that came out of his mouth. But when the knock came again he knew there was no way he could not answer. Because he knew if it was his partner she would not be going anywhere any time soon. Best to get it over with ASAP. Maybe he could tell her he was tired, or going out on a hot date. Anything that would get rid of her. so thinking up many excuses he could use, most of them completely implausible, he plastered on his sunny smile and pulled the door open, his mouth already starting to form words, though he still wasn't sure what they would be, but when he saw who it was they died in his throat.

"Kensi I…"

"Expecting someone else? because you know, I can go if you are. Just, I got take-out if you're interested." Callen said smiling at the man who trailed off whatever he was about to say and just stood there with his mouth open staring at him.

"No, yes, what?" Deeks replied not sure if he was hallucinating or if this was real. Because why on earth would G Callen be on his doorstep with food? Oh food. It did smell nice, and he was hungry. Therefore without much thought he stepped aside to let G enter.

"I'll take the no as you're not expecting anyone, and the yes to be interested in the food. The what I'm still not sure about." Callen responded smirking as he made his way to the kitchen, completely comfortable invading Deeks home once more.

"That was more what you doing here." Deeks answered following him, but he couldn't stop the real smile that slipped onto his face, nor the relaxed feeling that spread through him at the sight of the older man. And hey, if anyone could help him come up with an excuse to tell Kensi, it would be Callen right? Undercover operator extraordinaire.

"I thought I would come see how you were doing." Callen shrugged as he pulled out the take-out boxes from the bag in his hand.

"Trying to figure out how to get Kensilina off my back?" Deeks replied though there was a question in it, hoping that the other man would be able to give him some advice. Some words of wisdom, or something like that anyway.

"Good luck with that. If you work it out, tell me will you?" Callen responded smirking as he handed Deeks his food and cutlery before sitting down at the table to enjoy his.

"I need to tell her something. But I don't want to tell her the truth." Deeks answered picking through his dinner so he could eat the best bits. He liked this, just sitting there having dinner with G as a friend. Yeah it was good to have someone he could talk to without censoring his words.

"Say you had friend go through something similar." Callen suggested with a shrug. He really didn't know what to tell the younger man. He knew he would have to tell his partner something for the way he behaved. Kensi wasn't one to just let it go, but as for advice? He really wasn't that good at that. If he told Sam to drop it, he usually would, though he would then keep taps on his every movement behind Callen's back, but hey. That's the way their partnership worked, most of the time.

"Friend really? Everyone knows that's code for you." Deeks scoffed. Wow he would have thought G would be better at coming up with decent lies, I mean the guy did do it for a living and all that. Of course so did he.

"Is that so? Hmm, I'll have to remember that next time I talk to Sam." Callen mused quickly running over some of the conversations he had had with his partner. That certainty did explain some things.

With that they settled into silence as Callen turned his mind seriously to Deeks problem, trying to think of a way to explain his behaviour without Kensi getting wind of the truth. Finally he found what he thought was the best answer.

"Why not tell her it reminded you of a case you dealt with as a prosecutor. Tell her that was the one that caused you to switch to being a cop or something."

At that Deeks nodded. That wasn't half bad. "That could work I guess."

"Or you could tell her to mind her own business." Callen continued, giving the only other solution he had been able to come up with.

"Really? That's your advice? Do I look like I have death wish?" Deeks spluttered his eyes going wide at the idea of telling agent Kensi Blye to mind her own business. That would be like a red rag to a bull, a bull with a knife collection at that.

"Well your team leader could switch up the partners for a bit if you like." Callen replied innocently though the smirk he had on his face kind of ruined the effect.

"No way. I am not working with Sam." Deeks responded even more alarmed by that idea. The big guy and him together? Hell no that would not work.

"I was more thinking you could work with me, but I'm liking your idea better now." Callen replied the smirk in full swing now. He knew it would never have crossed Deeks mind for them to work together. They were too alike to be good partners in field. They both filled the same roles in their current partnerships.

"Callen." Deeks whined trying to make his eyes go as big as a puppy's, hoping that his friend wouldn't do that to him.

"Deeks." Callen replied in exactly the same tone before relenting. He wasn't that mean, plus he liked working with Sam. He wasn't sure if he could cope with Kensi fulltime. "Don't worry I won't do it."

"Thank you." Deeks breathed in relief. He never could be sure when Callen was joking about things like that. He wouldn't put anything past him.

With that the two men settled into a quiet dinner, Callen making sure the conversation flowed easily and stayed away from any serious topics.

It wasn't until Deeks started yawning that he realised how late it was. And the fact that G was still there with him. He wondered if he was going to go now, and he couldn't help himself feeling a little worried about that. The previous night he had only been able to sleep when G had been there, and he wasn't sure if he was ready to try on his own again. Not that he was going to say that aloud. He wasn't about to show the older man his weakness.

"Thanks for dinner G. It was good of you to come round, but I think I should go to bed now so-" He started to say, not wanting to sound rude, but also not wanting Callen to know he wanted him to stay.

"Okay." Callen replied before settling down in the same chair he had slept in the night before and pulling his book once more from his pocket and opening it, in a way that clearly said he wasn't going anywhere.

"Okay." Deeks muttered in response. He wasn't sure why G was staying, but he wasn't going to question it. He had got what he wanted without saying a word. Result. Therefore he stood and made his way to the bathroom to get ready for bed before sticking his head once more through the door to the livingroom.

"Night G."

"Goodnight Marty." Callen replied smiling up at him with a nod before turning back to his book as if it was the most interesting thing he had ever read, even if the truth was he was listening to every sound the younger man made. Wanting to make sure he was okay and that he did indeed fall asleep. That was why he was here after all. To make sure Marty Deeks was good.

And so the two settled down, Deeks falling asleep a lot quicker than he thought he would, and few hours later Callen moving from the chair to stretch out on the couch and close his own eyes. He needed some rest as well.

It was not until the early hours of the morning that Callen was pulled from sleep by something. He moved without thought, grabbing his gun which he had stashed under the cushion as he listened to see what it was that had awoken him. But when he heard the noise again he lowered his weapon. Because what had woken him was whimpering and movement coming from Marty's room. It looked like the kid was having a nightmare. Callen had seen plenty of them in his time when he was in foster care, and he only knew one way to help someone through it. With that thought he stood and made his way to the bedroom of Marty's apartment.

* * *

Deeks was back there. He was standing watching his dad beat his mom, and then he turned to him, screaming abuse as he raised his fist bringing to down against his cheek sending him flying. He tried to stand only to have his dad's foot hit him in the chest as he cried out in pain. He went to grab the gun, the one that would save him, but it wasn't there. Nothing would save him this time. He was going to die… but before his dad could cause any more pain Deeks found himself suddenly feeling a warmth wrap around him. A strong yet comforting presence that he knew would always keep him save. Nothing could hurt him now.

Callen was sitting on Deeks bed holding him in his arms hoping it would help him. He knew better than to shake the guy awake, he would no doubt come round fighting, but hopefully this would work as it had done for the other kids he had helped years ago. Hopefully he would be able to get through to Marty's sleeping mind and give him the comfort he needed.

* * *

Deeks blinked his eyes open to find himself staring at a chest. A chest which was definitely male. Bending his head back he found the chest was connected to the body of G Callen. Well now, this was embarrassing.

"Umm G, not that I'm not flattered, but I really don't think of you that way." He managed to get out, smirking as best he could while trying to hide his embarrassment at the realisation that it was Callen holding him that had pulled him from his nightmare.

"Good to know." Callen replied smiling gently as he slowly lowered his arms, though he didn't completely remove them. He wanted to make sure Marty really was okay and not just putting up a front.

Once he could pull away Deeks moved to sit up, leaning against the headboard so he could try and get his breathing under control. He hadn't even realised that it was elevated until then. Damn he hated those memories, nightmares, whatever you wanted to call them. He hadn't had the in years.

"Want to talk about it?" Callen asked as he moved so he was sitting next to Deeks, their shoulders touching so he still had some connection to the younger man, hoping it would help ground him.

"Not really. I haven't had these since I went to law school." Deeks replied with a self-deprecating shake of his head. Damn why was he so weak? Why couldn't he just shake this off as he always had done? What the hell was wrong with him?

"It's okay you know. To have nightmares. Why do you think I hardly sleep?" Callen said into the quiet of the night knowing exactly what was going through Marty's mind and wanting to make sure he knew that this was not his fault, and there was nothing wrong or weak from needing help. Okay Callen was well aware he himself never asked for it, but hey no one was perfect.

"Insomnia is sounding pretty good right now." Deeks chuckled bumping his shoulder against the older man to let him know he had heard and understood what it was he was saying, even if he hadn't said the words.

"Trust me, it's not all it's cracked up to be. For some reason Sam gets pissed when I take apart his toaster and practise my Russian in the middle of the night." Callen replied smirking as he remembered the time he had stayed with Sam and his family for an extended amount of time. Looking back he could see Hetty was right that he needed his own place, if for no other reason than to give Sam a break once in-a-while.

At that Deeks laughed properly. He could just imagine how Sam had taken G doing that. In fact he wished he had seen his reaction to waking up to finding his toaster in bits.

"Alright. Even I need some sleep, so back to it." Callen said once Deeks had gone quiet. The other man nodded in agreement and then waited, expecting G to move from his bed and back to his couch, therefore he was somewhat surprised that all the older man did was relax down so he was lying on the outside of the bed, the part closest to the door.

"Umm Callen, what ya doing?" He asked cautiously not sure what was happening here, and not sure what he should do about it.

"Going to sleep. You should try it." Callen replied opening one eye as he raised his eyebrow at the younger man. There was no way he was leaving him to sleep on his own to have more nightmares. If he was there he could hopefully head them off sooner rather than later.

"but-" Deeks started to say only to be interrupted by the man who now had both his eyes closed and was lying in a relaxed position.

"Your bed is much comfier than the couch. Now sleep, before I knock you out." Callen said in a tone which let Deeks know he would do it too, therefore Deeks did the only thing he could. He moved back under his covers and closed his eyes. This had to be the weirdest experience ever, was the last thought that went through his mind before he quickly drifted back off to sleep, his subconscious safe in the knowledge that G was there and he wouldn't let anything hurt him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello my dears. I would like to thank LKK (Guest), Petunia3116 and French fan (Guest), for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update. I love you all.**

 **Anyway here is the next chapter, I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS: LA.**

* * *

When Deeks woke the next morning it was to find that he was alone in his bed. He briefly wondered if he had imagined G there. Imagined him sharing his bed for half the night, even if the older man had been sleeping on top of the covers. But then the smell of coffee from the kitchen hit him and he knew that he hadn't. He really had slept with G Callen. Wow, that sounded weird. He just hoped the older guy wasn't gonna mention it, like ever. In fact Deeks would be more than happy if the memory of his broken night was removed from both their minds.

I mean the fact that it was G holding him that had pulled him from his nightmare. G Callen, his team leader and colleague holding him… yeah he really wasn't sure how to even start to process that. But even as he thought these things others entered his mind. A gratefulness for the man for being there for him. An unmistakable happiness that he had known what to do to help him, and a comforting relaxation at the knowledge that came from the bone deep feeling that G would always keep him safe.

Okay enough. He was LAPD detective Marty Deeks, liaison to NCIS operations of special projects. He did not need someone babysitting him. Sure it was nice having G there and all, but he knew he really needed to start working out how to get back to himself on his own. He needed to make sure he didn't end up depending on the warm safety Callen offered without a word or thought to him. Though even as he decided this he couldn't help but smile at the idea that this must be what it was like to have a big brother watching out for you. He had always wondered how that would feel. But no. Stop. Get coffee, work out the rest later.

With that in mind Deeks pulled himself from his bed and headed towards the kitchen.

* * *

Callen was busy making coffee and trying to decide if he should make breakfast or not. The not being mainly due to the fact that his culinary skills amounted to cereal and that was about it.

But when he heard a noise from the doorway he turned with a smile on his lips. A smile which turning into a laugh when he saw the sight that greeted him. Because there stood Marty Deeks with his hair standing up all over the place. He had always known that styled by pillow thing was crap. Now he had the proof. He was tempted to snap a photo of Marty's epic bedhead on his phone to use as teasing material for eternity, but then realised he really wouldn't like anyone to find that there. He could just imagine how Kensi and Sam would respond to that. And he really didn't want to hear their comments or innuendos about him and the younger man.

So instead he settled for holding out a cup of freshly brewed coffee.

"Thanks." Deeks remarked taking the cup and sighing as the hot liquid went down his throat. He then ran his hand through his hair, pulling it into place without thought of who was watching him.

"How you doing this morning?" Callen asked taking a deep drink from his own cup as he settled back against the sink watching how, magically it seemed to him, Marty's hair started to settle into its usual places.

"Better, now I have coffee." Deeks replied smiling his sunny smile as he finished sorting his hair and went back to drinking what he was sure was the nectar of the gods.

"Glad I could help." Callen smirked. He liked this, being with Marty in the mornings, seeing how adorable he looked when he had just woken up. Wait. What the hell? Where did that thought come from? Oh that was not good. No. it was fine. It meant nothing. Just breathe… and get the hell out of there.

"I'll make breakfast in a bit if you want some." Deeks replied unaware of the thoughts going through Callen's mind as he watched him come alive with his first dose of caffeine. In fact he was so relaxed in G's company he didn't even question the way the man was now looking at him.

"No need. I'm going to head out. Have to shower and change. See you at work?" Callen responded quickly downing his scolding coffee and placing his cup in the sink. He needed to get out of here before he did something stupid. Not that he was going to, because he didn't think of Marty like that. But his damn mind was starting to twist things, twist his observations. He needed time alone to settle whatever was going on with him. Needed time to remind himself he was Marty's friend, his brother, and absolutely nothing else. Ever.

"Oh, okay." Deeks answered surprised by how quickly the older man was moving. What was going on? Was it because of what had happened last night? But surely not. G was the one who seemed the most comfortable with the situation. So then… what was it? Shaking his head he followed the other man to the door and spoke just before he could pull it open. "G? Thanks, you know… for last night."

"Anytime Marty, and I mean that. Call if you ever need me." Callen replied with such sincerity in his eyes that Deeks relaxed. No doubt G really did just have to go. I mean he only had one set of clothes in his go bag. Plus Deeks remembered Sam's teasing from the previous morning. That was bound to be the reason for G's departure. A reason Deeks completely understood. He didn't want to give either of their partners any reason to tease or question their friendship. This was theirs, their secret, and Deeks really wanted to keep it that way.

* * *

By the time Callen had showered and changed and was waiting for Sam to arrive to give him a lift to work he had calmed down. He didn't have any weird feelings for Marty Deeks, he realised. And he was definitely not remotely attracted to the guy. It was just he hadn't ever really had the sort of relationship they now had with each other. I mean Sam was, if anything, his big brother, always looking out for him, and he had never stayed in any of the foster homes long enough to become a big brother to any of the other kids. Not really. So this was new for him, and that was all he was feeling. The newness of being a big brother to Marty. Being there for him and wanting to look out for him. Nothing else.

So it was this calm Callen who went and had breakfast with his partner and made his way into the mission, with a coffee in his hand as they bantered back and forth.

Of course that bantering was short lived when Hetty approached them.

"Mr Callen, if I could have a word." She said smiling at them both before turning and walking back to her office.

"G, what did you do this time?" Sam asked with a chuckle, because he knew while Hetty had phrased her words as a request it was anything but.

"I have no idea." Callen replied with a rueful smile as he dropped his bag and coffee off at his desk and then headed to Hetty's. He hoped she wasn't going to question him about how much time he had been spending at Marty's, though he was also sure she knew why he was doing it. She couldn't be annoyed at him for helping his team member could she? No. Maybe she just wanted an update on how he was or something, yeah that sounded about right.

"Hetty, what can I do for you today?" Callen asked sitting opposite her with a smile on his face, ready to do battle with the tiny ninja woman he loved.

"I have been contacted by LAPD. They wish us to return their best undercover operator." Hetty replied without preamble, wondering what response that would get from her senior field agent. She was well aware of Deeks outburst in the boatshed, just as she knew why it had occurred. She also knew that Callen had been spending time over at Mr Deeks home to help him. she was glad the older man was there for the younger one. It showed great progress in her favourite agent. Showed he was starting to see his colleagues as more than just people he worked with. Therefore she was rather interested to see how he would react to her words. If he thought detective Deeks was up to going back undercover.

"No." Callen stated without thought. There was no way he was letting Deeks go off on some half-cocked undercover mission for the LAPD. He would not let him go out there alone. No way in hell.

"Excuse me? I do not believe you have the authority to say that Mr Callen." Hetty responded in a soft yet steely voice. One that all knew not to question, not that Callen ever did what he should do.

"He can't. He isn't ready." He carried on simply. I mean the kid had barely got himself under control, there was no way he could do an undercover op, not now.

"Are you saying you do not feel that detective Deeks is able to do his job agent Callen?" Hetty asked mildly, though her words shot straight through the man opposite her. He knew he had to be careful how he responded to that. Because he knew she wouldn't hesitate to take Deeks off work. Bench him and he knew that won't help Marty at all. In fact it would most likely cause the guy to hate him, and he really didn't want that. Not after the progress they had made in the new found friendship, relationship, whatever it was.

"No, of course not. But…" he rushed to say, though he couldn't find the words to finish that sentence to his satisfaction. To make sure Hetty kept Deeks working, but also kept him here where Callen could keep an eye on him.

"Yes?" Hetty asked when Callen said nothing more, raising her eyebrow at him in that way that demanded he answer.

"He can't go undercover without backup Hetty." Callen replied deciding that it was the best he could come up with. And he knew she didn't trust the LAPD to have Marty's back any more than he did.

"Then it is a good thing that he will have backup then isn't it? May I suggest you hear all I have to say before you say anything else?" Hetty responded, smiling to herself that she now had Callen exactly where she wanted him. She knew after his previous sentence he would have to agree to her proposal now.

"I'm all ears." Callen replied relaxing with a casual smile. Though the fact he crossed his arms in a defensive gesture did not escape Hetty's notice, but then nothing ever did.

"Hmm. The LAPD have managed to create a solid case against the Martinez Cartel. But it seems that there witnesses kept disappearing or changing their statements. What they require is irrefutable proof of the cartels dealings. They have sent two undercover officers in to get such proof, but the first came back in a body bag and the second is still yet unaccounted for. They therefore, understandably, want their best man on the job." Hetty started to explain only for Callen to sit forwards at that and interrupt. There was no way he was letting Marty go into a situation where two other cops had been killed.

"If the others are dead, how will Deeks be able-" He started to say, only for Hetty to hold up her hand silencing him. He hated that she could do that.

"Mr Callen, I believe I told you to listen before you said anything?" She asked simply, though there was also annoyance colouring her voice. Yeah he needed to shut up now then.

"Sorry Hetty. Please continue." He mumbled sitting back once more, but he couldn't relax. Just the idea of Marty going into the situation she described made his skin crawl. He would not let him. He wouldn't, simple as that, and he didn't care what anyone else had to say on the matter.

"Thank you. When they approached me with the case I raised the question of how detective Deeks would be able to succeed where others have failed, and the chief of police and I have come to an… understanding." Hetty continued, though she stopped there as a gleeful smile crossed her face as she remembered her conversation with that intolerable man. Oh how she had enjoyed that.

"And what understanding would that be Hetty?" Callen asked hopefully seeing the smile. If Hetty was that pleased to have gotten the police chief to agree, then that had to mean she had arranged for some sort of safety net for Deeks.

"The other two officers went in without backup thinking it was a routine mission. Mr Deeks will go in with your team at his side there to pull him out if anything looks… hinky." Hetty responded simply, she couldn't stop her smile spreading when she saw how Callen relaxed at her words. Oh yes, it seemed he had taken the young detective to his heart. Good, it was about time. Deeks was part of the team after all, a part of their family.

"Okay, I can work with that. What's the mission?" Callen asked nodding. If they were there to back up Marty then it would be fine. He would be able to keep an eye on the kid and make sure he was alright. Make sure nothing happened to him.

"Everything is in here. I am sure that you can come up with a suitable operation to obtain the proof required as well as insure detective Deeks' safety." Hetty answered handing over the brown folder that had been sitting on her desk.

Callen took the file and opened it, reading through what was written there his eyes widening at what he saw. "Seriously Hetty?" He asked because he wasn't sure he actually believed what he was reading. It was… insane. But thinking through it, he could see that it was definitely possible to be true. After all who would think to look for the cartel there?

"I have absolute faith in you Mr Callen." Hetty replied with a serene air as she stared at her senior agent. If anyone could pull this off, it would be her best team, and she could already see the cogs turning in their leaders mind. Oh yes, she really did have absolute faith in the man in front of her. He would get it done, and make sure they all came out the other side.

Hetty's words were a dismissal if ever Callen had heard one, but damn how was he supposed to coordinate this? What would the op look like? Because while sure, on paper it looked easy enough, in practise? In practice he knew it would be anything but. Would they be able to pull it off? Would Deeks be able to pull it off? Because he knew as this was officially an LAPD op, it would be Deeks doing the heavy lifting. Of course then he realised that he didn't have to do it alone. With that thought a smile slowly spread across Callen's lips as an idea came to him. One that would work, and it would make sure he could keep a close eye on Marty. Oh yeah, they could do this. They would do this.

With that thought he stood and holding the file tight made his way back to his team who were all trying really hard to pretend they weren't watching him and Hetty talk. And they called themselves undercover operators, really? They were about as subtle as a bear. Oh well, he would be putting them out of their misery soon enough.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello my darlings. I would like to thank Jaz (Guest), French fan (Guest), GoldenEyes-65, LKK (Guest), elsje1967, Petunia3116 and raspberry dreams for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So, I hope that this chapter is okay. I'm pretty sure the situation is rather implausible and maybe somewhat contrived, but it has been stuck in my head ever since I wrote the oneshot. So please bear with me. I would like to also mention that all places in it are completely made up by me.**

 **Another thing, I would like to say sorry for those of you waiting for updates on my other stories, I can't seem to get into them while I have this chapter (and the next) in my mind, but I will try to do better.**

 **Anyway I hope you this instalment.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS: LA.**

* * *

Callen took great enjoyment in deciding to walk to his desk and finishing his coffee, before turning to lean against it and smirk at the three pairs of eyes that were watching him. It was then he finally spoke.

"It seems that LAPD want their best and brightest back."

"What?!" Snapped Kensi her eyes going wide at the thought of losing the partner she had come to depend on. The person she had come to trust her life to. She really didn't want to have to find someone else, to try and build that relationship up again. Was this somehow connected to Deeks behaviour the other day when he snapped at them? Had he asked to go back because she kept demanding answers from him? Was this her fault?

"Guess I'd better pack then." Deeks replied ignoring Kensi's response and starting to stand. He didn't want to leave, didn't want to return to the uncertainty of being an undercover cop, not now he had found something that resembled family in the people around him. Not now he and G had started to grow closer and he had finally found someone who understood, who didn't judge him but was there for him.

"I said they wanted you back Deeks, not that Hetty was willing to let you go." Callen responded quickly. He didn't want Marty to think he had to leave, in fact Callen was going to do his best to make sure Deeks never left them. Not now, he was family.

At hearing his words Deeks sat back down with a thump. What did that mean?

"What's going on Callen?" he asked putting voice to his confusion as he stared up at the man he considered his brother. Hoping he had the answers he needed.

At his words Callen handed over the folder he was still carrying, letting the detective see what his mission was. "It's your op, we're your back-up. But I have some ideas of how to play it." He said as he did so, choosing to say nothing more and instead watch Marty's reaction when he read what he had to do, and more interestingly where he was going to have to do it.

"This is just a surveillance op? Just pictures and if possible video to use in court? Why are they asking for me?" Deeks asked having read the first lines that outlined what he was going to have to do. This was a milk run, why did they need him?

"Because the first two cops they sent in are dead." Callen replied, refusing to sugar-coat the truth. He needed Marty to know the danger, he needed his whole team to know the danger of what they were about to do.

At Callen's words Sam sat up straight. The idea of Deeks going into a situation where the suspects were already aware that the cops were on to them and as such would be on the lookout? No he didn't like that one bit. He was just glad G had already declared they would be backing-up there newest team member. But still he needed more details. "Who are you getting surveillance on?" He asked the detective sitting next to him, but the reply came from his partner.

"The Martinez cartel. More importantly their top four players so the LAPD can take them down." Callen answered in an even tone, making to clear to Sam that he was taking this op very seriously, and that he would not let anything happen to his new found friend. If the situation had been different Sam felt he would have smirked and made a comment at that, but it wasn't, so he didn't. Instead he raised his eyebrows. Cartels were not something to be taken lightly, as the LAPD seemed to have discovered at their cost.

"Where's the op taking place?" Kensi asked again it was directed at Deeks, but yet again the answer came from Callen.

"A club." Was his reply, though those words caused a gurgling sort of noise to come from the detective. He had just got to the part which told him the name of said club and really couldn't believe that this was real. Because seriously? It was crazy… though, thinking about it was either insane or damn clever. No one would think to look for a cartel running drugs out of that particular club. Especially not one that held such catholic views as the Martinez cartel.

"So, what? I'll go in as Deeks girlfriend and watch his back why you guys are in overwatch?" Kensi suggested looking to her team leader. She wanted to have her partners back as was her job, wanted to make sure he knew she had his back. Would always have his back.

"Not that kind of club Kensilina." Deeks answered before Callen could say a word as he laid the file down on his desk and leaned back and closed his eyes. Trying to think how this would work. How they could make it work.

"What do you mean? What sort of club is it?" Kensi asked completely confused now.

"It's The Panther." Callen replied, though his attention was completely focused on the detective in front of him.

"Oh." Kensi responded her eyes widening at the name. Because she now understood why she wouldn't be going in as Deeks girlfriend. The Panther was a gay club. Of course that thought was followed by another that made her smirk. "So who's going to play you boyfriend then Deeks?" She asked.

"Not it." Sam shouted out quickly. There was no way he was gonna play Deeks' anything thank you very much. He'd leave his partner to fawn all over the detective while he got the surveillance they needed. He would stay back and enjoy all the moments of teasing he would no doubt get out of the show.

"No that won't work." Deeks interrupted opening his eyes and sitting up straight. The idea of G going in as his boyfriend had been the first thought that went through his head, but then he found the problems with that plan. If only this had happened yesterday, or tomorrow, it would be fine. But it would not work today.

"Why not?" Callen asked trying to keep the annoyance at having the idea he was going to suggest shut down. What did Marty have against pretending they were together anyway? It was no different than pretending he was with Kensi right? It was the job. It was what they did. And in his annoyance Callen didn't even notice he had cross his arms as if to protect himself from harm.

"Because it Thursday." Deeks replied looking at Callen as if he expected that to mean something to him, but all the older man did was look back blankly. "Singles night?" he elaborated with a sigh. How was it they didn't know that?

"How do you know that?" Sam asked him, very intrigued by the revelation that Deeks had just shown them. That he knew what was happening in gay clubs of an evening. Not that he had anything against that, he just wanted to know.

"Cos I'm a cop. How do you guys not know that?" Deeks asked shaking his head. How did they ever manage to do any operations in LA without being found out if they didn't know such a simple thing as that? He knew exactly what was happening on the club scene any given night. It was part of his job, to anticipate where the trouble would come from.

"Don't really frequent gay clubs Deeks." Sam responded, though it was with a chuckle. He took no offence from the other man's words, they all had their own skill sets after all.

"In that case… Deeks and I'll go in as single men. I'm sure Eric and Nell can come up with some tech so Deeks can get the pictures and video we need without being obvious, and Sam, you and Kensi will be overwatch outside. Ready to come in if we get into any trouble." Callen said to the group, looking at each of them to make sure they agreed with his plan, especially Deeks, considering it really was his op.

"Sounds good to me." Deeks replied with a nod. At least he would have G in the club with him, ready to intervene if he got into any trouble. Yeah, he liked that idea. Having G watching his back.

"Then let's go brief the wonder twins." Callen agreed pushing away from his desk and walking towards the stairs that would take him up to ops. He knew Deeks would follow him without question, and it would give Kensi and Sam time to organise how they would conduct overwatch. He trusted his partner to have his back, just as he trusted Kensi to have Deeks'. Yeah they would make this work, get what they needed, and they would all come out the other side in one piece. Because any other suggestion was not one Callen could possibly consider.

* * *

It took a while, but soon Nell and Eric came up with the idea of putting a miniature camera, with amazing zoom qualities, in a pair of glasses. That way even if Deeks had to look over a crowd to get the proof they needed he would be able. It would work much better than a button cam they decided. Therefore leaving the techy pair to work their magic, Deeks and Callen made their way to wardrobe where they were greeted by Hetty.

"This way gentlemen, I have outfits already selected for the both of you to make sure you blend in nicely." she clapped before disappearing towards the changing rooms.

Deeks and Callen couldn't help but share an alarmed look at what could be Hetty's idea of the blending into a gay club would look like, but when they got their respective cubicles they both breathed out a sigh of relief. What Hetty had chosen really wasn't that bad, even if the jeans they both pulled on were more on the tight side than either of them were used to. They could accept that. Could accept the material hugging the contours of their bodies, and showing off their physique… or as Kensi put it "making their ass's all the more squeezable for the men in the club."

They both sensibly choose to ignore that comment, though Deeks did make sure that he remembered to make a similar one the next time Kensi had to dress up for an op. Of course then he would run away before she could hit him.

As well as the jeans they were both wearing shirts, but whereas Hetty had chosen a blue that matched Callen's eyes for his, Deeks had the pleasure of wearing flowers, though thank god they were not brightly coloured. No, it was an Off-white background with a brown and muted orange pattern. He actually rather liked it and wondered if Hetty would notice if he didn't return it. But of course she would, or at least that was what her glare said when he was looking at himself in the mirror. He had to wonder if she was a mind reader as well as a scary ass-kicking ninja.

Once they had sorted there wardrobe and they were waiting on the tech Callen pulled Deeks aside.

"You okay to do this Marty?" He asked quietly not wanting anyone else to hear his words. It wasn't that he thought the younger man couldn't do it, it was more that he wanted to make sure Marty knew he could do it.

"Yeah. I'm good G." Deeks replied smiling at him with the same relaxed smile he had been giving him while they relaxed in his home. He knew G was just being protective, it seemed an ingrained thing in the man before him. And it was an impulse he could understand. But he really was okay. He could put aside his own crap for a night to take down the Martinez cartel. LAPD had been after them for years, and there was no way he would jeopardize the op. No way in hell. This was what he did. This was his job, his life, and he would do it to the best of his ability. He wanted to get these scumbags off his streets once and for all.

"Good. And remember, I've got your back." Callen responded with a nod and a small smile. He could see the steel behind Marty's eyes and he realised this was exactly what he needed to get his head away from where it had been. To get him away from the nightmares that had arisen, and help him get back the masks and walls he needed to be who he was. Marty Deeks needed to be able to save someone, and taking down this cartel would save more than one person.

With that conversation done both of them turned to Sam and Kensi, to see what they had discovered about the lay-out of the club and how they would coordinate their overwatch. The plan was simple enough, they would cover the front and the alley that led to the back door while having a car on standby if they all needed to make a quick get-away. It was solid, and gave both Callen and Deeks the reassurance they needed. Not that they expected anything less from their partners.

* * *

By the time everything was organised and Deeks had put on his trendy black rimmed glasses that hid the camera, it was time for them all to make there way to the club. Time for him and G to go undercover as gay men on a singles night. Well this would be an interesting experience. He wondered absently if G was ready to be hit on all night, and he couldn't help but consider how he was going to enjoy watching the man fend of the offers he would no doubt get. After all G Callen was not an unattractive man, objectively speaking. In fact Deeks was so busy wondering about that he forgot to consider how he would handle the same situation. How he would deal with the men who would be propositioning him that evening. And wasn't that mistake on his part?


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello my dears. I would like to thank Guest, Petunia3116, Fan (Guest) and elsje1967, for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So this is a long chapter, couldn't really split it. I hope you like it, I have been dying to write this one, so enjoy.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't NCIS: LA.**

* * *

Callen walked towards the bar of The Panther, making sure to scope out all he could about the clubs layout and who was inside as he did so. Of course he covered his surveillance by running his eyes up and down the men who were positioned all around, seemingly doing the same to each other and to him. Not that he really cared about that. He could deal with any that came up to him easily enough. This wasn't his first rodeo in a gay club, though it was his first on an op.

Getting to the bar he sat himself down in a position so he could see all the exits as well as most of the room. He took note of the group of men who did not belong that were sitting up in the raised VIP area on the other side of the dance floor, as well as the position Deeks would need to be in to get decent footage of the bosses of the Martinez cartel. Yeah, from here he would be able to watch his back and make sure he kept an eye on all who arrived and left. Perfect.

With that he turned round on his stool and signalled to the bartender, who G was pretty sure couldn't actually be old enough to legally drink, let alone serve.

"And what can I get you?" The bartender boy asked in a suggestive manner. It was the best way to get great tips, plus this guy was hot. In an older man kind of way.

"A beer would be good." Callen replied with a charming smile, though he made sure he held a hint of humour in it so that the boy knew there was no chance. Not that he thought for a minute the kid was interested, but always best to make sure that feeling was mutual in his mind.

"Sure." the kid replied before grabbing a bottle and returning with it. "Anything else?" He asked smirking. He could see this guy's humour, and they were always the safest ones to flirt with, and the best tippers if he treated them right.

"No I'm good for now. Just gonna watch the world go by." Callen responded making the boy chuckle as he turned to inspect the crowd as if he was cruising for a pick up.

"Think you've pull G." he heard Sam say down the comms in his ear. This caused him to roll his eyes, because really? He was not a cradle snatcher thank you very much.

Taking one more look around the place he muttered quietly into his comms. "All clear Deeks, you gonna have to stand at the right of the dance floor to be able to get a good view."

"Copy that." came the quick reply from the detective. And not a minute later Callen watched out of the corner of his eye as Deeks walked through the door.

"Oh sweet Jesus. Thank you." Callen heard the bartender mutter behind him causing him to turn to see what it was that had caused such fevered words. It was then he saw that the kid was watching Deeks, and so naturally Callen did the same. It would give him a good cover for keeping an eye on the detective if he gave the impression he was interested in him. Callen also took note of the other men who watched Deeks as he walked by. He wasn't sure what it was about the younger man, but it seemed that wherever he walked, heads turned. It took Callen a good minute watching him as he got himself a beer and made his way to the position Callen had suggested to work out what it was. Deeks didn't look at anyone around him. He seemed to exude confident mystery and disinterest, and it seemed that that was catmint the men in this room right then. Damn.

* * *

As Deeks walked through the door he really couldn't help it. As soon as he entered the club he had noticed the looks he was getting and he just had to act up to them. He was only human, and being appreciated by that many eyes? Yeah, he couldn't not respond. So he walked with more of a swagger than he normally would and kept his chin high, and not just so his glasses would catch the footage they needed. It was instinctive and oh so much fun.

Of course he realised the problem with this when he had been standing still by the dance floor. Leaning against the ledge that round around it for barely half a minute, listening to Nell in his ear telling him how to correct his stare so they could see what was going on with the cartel through the camera, and a young guy came up to him all smiles and flirtatious touches.

"Hey there. You come here often?" The guy asked as he ran his hand along his arm.

"Seriously? You're gonna have to better than that kid." Deeks responded with a chuckle to take the sting out of his words. But he made sure that the other man knew he had no chance with him.

"Well worth a try." The guy responded with a shrug before walking off, turning his attention to the next man that caught his eye.

That seemed to be some silent signal for others to approach him.

* * *

Callen sat there watching, his eyes getting narrower and narrower as each man approached Marty. He really didn't like it. It would completely screw with their op. The detective was supposed to be invisible in the crowd, not the god damn centre of attention. And that was the only reason for his annoyance. Nothing else at all. That feeling in the pit of his stomach was just worry for the kid he thought of as his little brother. Nothing else. And definitely not jealously.

But then something happened which changed Callen's plan to sit and observe. He heard Nell's nervous voice over the comms.

"Umm, guys. We have a problem. The cartel are watching Deeks, and one of their guys in on the move."

"It's because I'm so awesome." Deeks replied with a smirk, though he was pretty sure it was actually because he had knocked back all the men who had come close to him without even turning to look at them. Trying to keep the camera trained where they needed it so he didn't miss anything.

"Yeah right." Sam muttered, though even as he did so he pulled out his gun and approached the side door, waiting for Callen's word to enter. He wasn't gonna let anything happen to one of his team.

Callen on the other hand turning towards the bartender, giving off the air that he had come to some decision.

"Two beers." He said when the kid came towards him, wishing he would move quicker. But he knew he had to play this one right if they were going to get out of this alive and with the intel they had come to collect.

"Found something of interest have you?" The kid asked grabbing the bottles with a smirk.

"Yeah, you could say that." Callen responded, cutting his eyes to Deeks to make sure he was still okay.

"Good luck, he is being very particular." The bartender answered with a chuckle, seeing where he was looking. Though looking at the way the guy was watching the extremely hot man by the dance floor he felt he would have a better chance than any of the others did. He looked at him as if he was already his. Oh this was definitely something he was going to watch.

"Don't need luck. I'm that good." Callen replied grabbing the bottles and sliding of the stool he was sitting on and moving purposely towards Deeks. Whispering into his comms as he did so.

"Deeks, you trust me?"

"Yeah." Came the quiet reply as the detective wondered what the team leader was going to do. He had heard him order two beers, and he had an idea, but how was he supposed to flirt with G while watching the cartel when they were in front of him and G would be at his side?

"Then play along." Callen responded a second before he was standing next to the man in question and pushing a bottle of beer in front of him.

"You looked thirsty." Callen said, without touching Deeks as all the other men who had approached had done.

"Thanks." Deeks replied grabbing the bottle, but not taking a drink. He had turned everyone down so far, he couldn't seem too eager to say yes to G.

"But I guess saying no that many times will do that to you. Not that I would know." Callen responded in a conversational tone, knowing that the two of them had far too many eyes on them to let up. Not to mention the fact they had to sell this to the cartel members who were watching, their man standing by the entrance to the VIP area. He had stopped his approach to Deeks when he had seen Callen come up to him, now he had to convince them that Marty was not a threat in any way.

"You never said no?" Deeks asked smirking as he cut his eyes to the side without moving his head.

"Never had it said to me either." Callen replied taking a drink of his beer, looking over the crowd just as Deeks was. Making it clear to all he wasn't flirting with the man at his side. He knew the best way to pull a guy who everyone wanted was to be the one who didn't seem interested in him. Reverse psychology at its finest. And even if it was Deeks and this was undercover, the principles were still the same. Mainly because he knew Deeks would follow exactly what he was doing. He knew the job as well as Callen himself did.

"Is that so?" Deeks asked picking up the beer and taking a drink while he watched Callen out of the corner of his eyes and saw the smirk that appeared on his face at his movements. He knew what the older man was doing, and he was okay with that. He would play this game with G while they got what they needed. It was why he had him for back up after all.

"Yep." Callen responded, saying nothing more as he ran his eyes over the men on the dance floor, interest shining in their depths as he did so.

"And how do you manage that?" Deeks asked turning to face G. He needed to look at him if they were going to pull this off. And he was sure that Callen would find some way for him to legitimately turn back to the cartel soon enough.

"Never give them a chance." Callen replied turning to stare at Deeks with a heated look in his eyes. One that said he wanted him and he wasn't going to take no for an answer.

They both hear Nell gasp down their comms but neither reacted to it, they were too busy staring intensely at each other. Then G knew it was time to make his move. He just hoped Marty really didn't get pissed at him for what he was about to do. It was the only way they were going to get what they wanted. And it was just another job. It didn't mean anything. And he knew Marty would know that as well as him.

Therefore taking a deep breath Callen moved so he was standing between Deeks and the ledge that held their drinks, standing right in front of him so that his glasses would be able to see what was going on in the VIP area while it looked to everyone there he was looking at only him. He then placed his hand on Marty's chest and smirked as he steadily pushed him back until he hit the wall. Once Callen had him trapped there he closed the distance between them and crushed his lips to Marty's, running his hands into his hair so he could turn his head and hopefully his glasses would still pick up what was going on with the cartel members.

* * *

After G's words Sam heard silence then a spluttering that seemed to be coming from Eric. What the hell?

"Sit rep people." He snapped down the comms, he needed to know if he needed to enter. He needed to know what was going on.

"Callen has it under control." Nell squeaked through the comms, trying to pull her mind away from the fact that she was watching Callen and Deeks kiss. And not just kiss, but kiss passionately. Oh yeah very passionately. That was not something she thought she would ever see. But she could be professional, even if Eric did seem to be dying next to her.

"One way of putting it." Eric managed to croak out. Because he had not been expecting that. Really never wanted to see that, and was now wondering if he would ever be able to bleach what he was seeing from his mind. God he hoped so. He had not been ready for this development in their undercover op.

"What's going on?" Sam demanded. His frustration at the techy two coming through clearly. He needed answers, now. And while he guessed the two inside weren't in any danger, he still needed to know what was going on.

"Agent Callen is kissing detective Deeks to maintain their covers. Deeks I need you to turn your head to the right and up slightly." Nell answered in a steely voice glaring at Eric as she did so.

As soon as Callen heard Nell's words he grabbed Deeks hair and moved his head until he heard her speak again. "Perfect." with that he turned his mind back to the kiss.

It wasn't what he had originally planned, but it was working. Or at least he damn well hoped it was, because it was causing all sorts of problems for him. He had to keep up the mantra that this was an op in his head so he didn't get lost in the feel of the lips beneath his. The lips that had given way to his pressure without any question or fight for control. Lips that had parted for him within seconds of their meeting. Callen couldn't stop his tongue from entering the mouth below his, exploring the contours and taste of the man he had pressed against the wall. And oh god damn, did he taste good. It was a mix of beer and coffee, and something that was uniquely Marty. Something he couldn't define, but he had a horrible feeling that would now spoil him for any others. Oh yeah, really not good. It seemed his belief that his feelings for Marty were just brotherly was the biggest load of crap he had ever tried to sell. Because what he was feeling now was definitely not what you felt for a brother. No they were the feelings you had for a lover.

But Marty Deeks was most definitely not his lover, and never would be. He needed to get a hold of himself, work the op and walk away. Therefore it was with a steel will that Callen kept on kissing Deeks as passionately as possible, while keeping the rest of his body from reacting to the pleasure he was gaining from the experience.

Deeks on the other hand was gone. He had been as soon as G had kissed him. He knew it had been coming, it was the only outcome from the cover they were working. But as soon as the older agent's lips crashed down on his, forceful, yet caring, very much like the man himself, he was lost. He could do nothing but follow wherever G led, because his mind seemed to have taken a vacation. He could do nothing but kiss him back. He didn't even think to fight for dominance, instead submitting to the man in front of him without question. Because he trusted him completely. He trusted G to do what was needed, and therefore he let go. Gave him the reins and let him run. He heard the words being spoken in his comms as if from a great distance, and didn't even register when Nell asked him to move his head, though he did when G pulled his hair and moved as if he had done so to get a better angle for the kiss. And holy hell what a kiss.

He had never kissed a man before, never really considered it. Never considered the differences to kissing woman. But there were major differences, and not just that he wasn't the one in the lead. The lips on his were firmer, more demanding, and tongue the played with his own seemed stronger somehow. And the taste… G did not taste like any woman he had kissed that was for sure. He couldn't say what he did taste like, but it was different, and weird, and… good. Yeah, G tasted good.

Without thought Deeks arms had moved to circle around G, though rather than holding him, it was more as if he was clinging to him. Holding on as if his life depended upon it. Not that he realised this. He didn't notice how his hands had fisted G's shirt at his back, nor how it seemed his legs had turned to jelly and G was the only thing keeping him upright. None of that entered his mind, because all he knew, all he could cope with was the lips upon his own.

Callen on the other hand was well aware of Marty clinging to him and how he seemed he sag against him, staying up only because he was between him and the wall. As much as he enjoyed the sensation and the knowledge of that fact, he really needed to guy to stay up right so they could get the footage. Therefore keeping one hand in Marty's hair to keep his head in place, he moved the over to his ass, apologising in his mind for what he was about to do as he slipped his hand under him to hold him up. Though Callen really couldn't stop the smug thoughts going through his mind that he was the one who had managed to reduce Marty to this state. Him and no one else. Yeah he really did like that thought. Plus, he really did have a squeezable ass. Kensi had been right about that one for sure. Not that he was purposely doing just that at all. He was just trying to keep the guy upright, honestly.

Callen had no idea how long they kissed, but he knew they couldn't keep this up indefinitely. They needed to communicate with the team, and needed to know how the surveillance was going. Therefore he pulled back from the kiss, slowly bringing both him and Marty back to the real world so that when their lips parted they both had their minds almost intact.

* * *

Deeks came back to himself as G backed off the strength of the kiss. It was then he realised that the older man had one hand in his hair keeping his head in the right position and the other on his ass. He should feel embarrassed about that, but he really couldn't find it in himself to care. They had a job to do, and this was the only way they could have done it. Of course he could have taken more control of the situation, but what was done was done. Therefore when their lips parted he leant his head against the wall, making sure he didn't change the position for the camera while keeping his eyes closed so that the cartel wouldn't think he was watching them. If they were still suspicious of him after that display. He couldn't see how they could be. Hell even he hadn't remembered what he was there to do during that kiss.

Callen moved to kiss up Marty's jaw line to his ear giving him the perfect excuse to whisper sweet nothings in his ear. Or in truth talk through his comms to the team.

"Nell, Eric. How are looking?" He asked quietly while flicking his tongue out to follow the line of Marty's jaw where it connected by his ear.

"They no longer seem interested in either of you. In fact… yes. They are starting to do business. Deeks make sure you do not move." Nell replied clicking on the keys as she zoomed in so that they could get the footage that was needed of the four men handing out drugs in exchange for money to the ones around them.

"Copy that. Tell us when you have enough." Callen responded before returning to his ministrations, making sure Marty didn't move as he did so.

Deeks just let him do as he wished as he leaned back with his eyes closed. His mind focused on the lips on his skin as the kissed moved from his jaw down his neck, he instinctively wanted to move, to turn and give G better access, but the hand in his hair made sure he didn't. Thought he did relax his clenched fists, running them across the older man's back rather than clinging on for dear life. This was just a cover, a way to get the job done. And at least this time gave him the perfect moment to get his breathing under control and get his heart to start beating normally again. Gave him time to return the control to his mind that G had swept away with his kiss. Damn, who knew the guy was that good at kissing? How was it he didn't have people dropping at his feet begging for his lips? Cos really, he was frigging awesome at it. Deeks could take some serious lessons from him in that department. Not that he really needed any but, damn.

* * *

It took longer than Callen had thought it would to get the evidence they needed, and as such he needed to kiss Marty once more. Well that was his excuse, and it wasn't because he knew that once this op was over he wouldn't get the chance again. So returning his lips to Marty's once more, he kissed him again. Though this time he reined in his wish to destroy the other man's mind and made sure they were both aware of what was happening around them. It was less passionate than the first, and a lot less possessive, not that Callen would class the first one as such. But he did make sure it hit the right note to those who were still watching. Gave the impression that now he had staked his claim he was reaping the rewards. Rewards that he enjoyed greatly when Marty wrapped his arms around him and pulled him even closer so that every part of their bodies were touching. Though he did have to make sure little Callen stayed down for that one.

Finally both men heard Nell over the comms telling them she had all they needed. The op was over, it was time to leave.

So slowly separating their lips Callen stood back with a smirk on his lips as he held out his hand for the younger man. An offer which everyone in the building read as him wanting to continue their liaison in a more private setting. Deeks didn't even hastate to take it. Staring at Callen as if he had somehow bewitched him he allowed him to lead him out of the bar, though not before Callen turned to the bartender with a wink and a look that said that was how you did it, which gained his thumbs up in return. The kid wasn't so bad, even if Callen was still sure he was far too young for the job he was doing.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello my darlings. I would like to thank JAZ (Guest), Petunia3116, tgMoony and French fan (Guest), for the wonderful reives. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So here is the next chapter, I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS: LA.**

* * *

Callen didn't relax until he heard the all clear through his comms from Sam and Kensi who had stayed back at the club to make sure he and Deeks weren't followed. It was then, and only then, that he turned to look at the man sitting next to him and realised that they should probably talk about what happened before they returned to the office. He needed to make sure Marty was okay after the way he had ambushed him. But he also did not want any of the rest of the team listening in, or watching for that matter. With that thought he quickly turned off his comms before reaching out for the glasses Marty was still wearing, taking them off him and pushing them into the glove compartment. This action caused Marty to turn to him with a raised eyebrow as if he was wondering what he was up to now, therefore he signalled that Marty needed to turn his comms off as well. Once that was done Callen spoke.

"You okay Marty?"

"Sure, why wouldn't I be?" Deeks asked with a puzzled look. He had no idea what G was worrying about now. They had successfully completed the op, everything was shiny.

"About the kiss…?" Callen ventured to say, not being able to think of a polite way to phrase the question. They did have time for finesse.

"It was a cover G, and it saved me. Why wouldn't I be okay with that?" Deeks asked with a chuckle at how worried G was. I mean they had both kissed people when undercover before, this wasn't any different. Okay sure, it was the first time he had had to kiss a guy, and sure it was the first time he had kissed G, but it meant nothing, right? they had just been doing their jobs.

"I just wanted to make sure." Callen answered making sure to keep his eyes firmly on the road and his hands on the steering wheel as he controlled the emotions that coursed through him at those words. Of course Marty only thought of it as a cover. He knew the kid wasn't interested in guys, so why the hell would he read anything else into it? And just because he was starting to have feelings for the man next to him, it didn't mean they were gonna be reciprocated. In fact he would have been extremely surprised if they were.

"G, it's all good. Though I may have to steal some of your moves, cos you're seriously skilled in that department." Deeks replied cheekily. He was on the high he always got when he had finished an undercover successfully, and for the first time in a while he actually felt like himself again. Like he was back to how he should be after all the emotional upheaval he had been going through recently. It felt so god damn good to be back.

"Thanks, I think." Callen responded making sure his standard quirk of the lips which passed for a smile was on his face, and that he wore a mask of big brother that he had become to the younger man. He couldn't let him know the truth. No one could ever know the truth, that those kisses were more than he had ever dreamed about. No one could ever know of his feelings towards Marty. Because if anyone ever found out it would ruin everything. And Callen couldn't risk that, couldn't cope with the idea that all he had would be gone if anyone ever knew the truth that was now taking up permanent residence in his heart.

* * *

It didn't take them long to return to the mission, and by the time both Deeks and Callen had changed out of their undercover clothing, Sam and Kensi had returned.

"Hey Deeks, enjoy your time out clubbing?" Kensi asked with a smirk on her lips. She couldn't wait to rag him about the whole kissing Callen thing. She found it hilarious, and there was no way she was going to let it drop.

"Yeah it was fun, how was standing outside the door?" Deeks replied with a smirk of his own. At least he got to be inside in the warmth for this op, not hanging round waiting.

"Well at least I didn't have to kiss Callen." Kensi answered before both of the senior agents interrupted at the same time to her words.

"Thanks." Came Callen's sarcastic response, because really, was it that bad having to kiss him?

Whereas Sam simply said "This time." with a smirk of his own.

"Wait, what? You've had to kiss Callen undercover and you're ragging me about doing the same thing?" Deeks demanded crossing his arms as he fake glared at his partner. Time to turn the tables.

"You know, I am right here." Callen muttered with a shake of his head, but he made sure he kept his tone light, not letting anyone know how much it hurt him to hear the way Marty said that. As if it had been a chore he had to complete.

"Well sure I have, but that's different." Kensi responded completely ignoring Callen in favour of leaning against her desk and staring down her partner. This was one fight she was going to win.

"How?" Deeks asked waiting for her to drop her foot in her mouth. It shouldn't take too long.

"Well I'm a woman." Kensi answered as if that explained why it was different. Because in her mind it was, I mean if she had to kiss a girl for an op she knew Deeks would never let her live it down, she was just returning the favour.

"Really? Can't say I've noticed that Fern." Deeks replied smirking, though it soon left his face due to the fact that those words caused his partner to hit him. "Ow."

"Don't call me Fern." Kensi stated. She really did not like that name.

"But it suits you. Anyway back to this difference you seem to be seeing-" Deeks responded, ready to really get into the conversation. But he was interrupted by Callen who really didn't want to hear any more of it. There was only so much he could take after all.

"I think you can wait and discuss this tomorrow. It's late. You should all head off home."

"No, I need to go through the footage with the wonder twins so I can take it to LAPD first thing." Deeks replied turning to the team leader.

"Oh this I have got to see." Kensi said with so much glee in her voice. There was no way she was going to let pass the opportunity to see her partner being uncomfortable seeing himself kiss a man. It would give her material for weeks to come.

"Fine with me. Sam want to join the party?" Deeks asked turning to the big guy who had moved to sit at his desk as if he was staying well out of the conversation going on in front of him.

Sam sat there thinking about it for a moment, because while he was not as keen as Kensi to see Deeks and G kiss, he did want to make sure that the kid hadn't been made. And the best way to do that would be to review the footage. "Sure, why not." He finally replied with a nod, standing up to follow the younger two as they made their way to the stairs. But then he noticed that the fourth member of their team wasn't coming with them.

"You coming G?" He asked as the voices of Deeks and Kensi still bickering moved away from them.

"Don't really need to watch myself seduce Deeks, Sam, I was there." Callen responded not looking up from the paperwork he was pretending to be doing. He really didn't want to see what had happened in that club, it was bad enough he had it going round his head on a loop. Showing him just how amazing it was to have Marty's body pressed against his own, how amazing it felt to have his lips follow his, his tongue, his taste… yeah he really didn't need to see the footage of that.

Sam's eyebrows rose at G's choice of words. Seduced. He made it sound like he had forced Deeks into it. But it was just for their cover, it meant nothing to either of them right? So why was his partner so on edge? Because now he was looking he could tell G was tense. His movements weren't as smooth as they usually were. Just had had happened in that club to make G like this? It was even more of a reason for him to watch this recording in his mind, but he wasn't going to tell that to his partner. So instead he found something else to say. "Okay, but what about making sure he wasn't made? Making sure that the ruse worked?"

At Sam's words Callen looked up at his friend and sighed. He was right. He did need to make sure Marty was safe from the cartel. After all the footage would be played in court, he didn't want anyone to put two and two together and make four. He couldn't let anything happen to Marty Deeks. "Fine." He agreed standing up and making his way towards the stairs. Time to watch the reply of the moment that changed his life, and not for the better. At least not in his mind.

Entering ops, Callen made his way to his usual position leaning against the table in the centre and folded his arms. But next to him, rather than it being Sam as it usually was, it was Deeks standing there oh so causally.

"Right now we're all here, hit it Nell." Deeks said and at his words the footage from Deeks glasses came up on the big screen, accompanied by the recording of the conversations over the comms, causing both Deeks and Callen to turn to her with a raised eyebrow. The two looks were identical. It was scary how much the two men looked like each other at the moment in her mind.

"I thought it would be good for everyone to know what was happening when." She explained with a shrug staring at them innocently, but also taking note of the wink and smirk Kensi gave her from the other side of the table. Kensi wanted to know who it was that had asked Deeks each of the dodgy chat up lines. All the better for her to wind him up with. Every little helped in her mind.

And so they all settled down and watched as Deeks walked up to a bartender, who was seriously young, before moving towards the dance floor. They all noticed Callen sitting by the bar watching him with a look of interest in his eyes. It was a good cover Sam nodded to himself. The perfect excuse for G to keep an eye on his partner for the night.

Kensi on the other hand was busy watching all the men who seemed to be checking her partner out. She couldn't believe it. Were they insane? I mean who in their right mind would find Deeks attractive? But then the screen was filled with the cartel members, and while she could hear the guys approaching her partner, she couldn't see them. That was no fun. "Oh come on Deeks, you could have turned so we could see these delusional guys who are hitting on you." She mumbled with a frown.

"Trust me, you're not missing anything." Callen replied flippantly before the younger man could. He had watched every single one of them as they approached Marty, had heard their chat up lines over the comms while in the bar and had been fine about it. But now, hearing it again he couldn't help but clench his fists. The idea that these guys thought they could touch Marty… he really didn't like that.

Finally came the part where the cartel member stood and they heard Nell's voice saying they had a problem. This was the part Kensi was looking forward to. The bit she would be able to wind her partner up about. But even when Callen approached it seemed he still didn't turn. How did Deeks end up kissing him if he didn't face him? Then suddenly he did and they all heard the gasp through the speakers, and the two agents who hadn't been in the club understood why Nell had responded that way. The look in Callen's eyes was one of a hunter facing his prey. A look of naked desire that also said that he would not be refused.

It made Kensi jaw drop because she had never seen Callen look like that. It was such a surprise and she had no idea their team leader was that good at acting. I means sure he was good… but that look was something else. Even the times she had played his girlfriend he had never looked at her like he was looking at Deeks on the screen. It was something else. Something she couldn't quite believe she was seeing.

Sam on the other hand frowned at what he saw. Because he knew his partner better than Kensi did, and he knew that that look was not all a lie. There was no way G could have looked at Deeks like that without there being some truth in his feelings. But… G didn't feel that way for Deeks, right? I mean, it was Deeks for crying out loud. Surely G had better taste than him, right?

Speaking of Deeks, he was finding himself suddenly unable to breathe. He hadn't really registered the way G was looking at him while he had been in the club. But he was now. And it was causing his heart to beat faster and his throat to close. Because it was the most honest expression he had ever seen on the other man's face, and it had been directed at him.

He hands quickly moved outwards to grab the table behind him so he could cling to something. He wasn't sure if it was to stop him from turning to the man who was standing next to him, or to keep him from falling over. It was all too much for his mind to process. That look did things to his insides that he hadn't even known was possible and he had no idea why. It wasn't until G closed the distance to kiss him that Deeks found he could breathe again. But as he did so he found he was no longer watching what was happening on the screen, he was reliving that kiss in his mind. The way it had completely scrambled his senses. How he just clung on and followed wherever G led. How it felt to have the older man's mouth on his, his tongue exploring the depths of him as if he had every right to do so. The feel of his hand on his ass.

He was so completely lost in his thoughts he found himself jumping when G spoke from his place next to him.

"Any chance you can change the angle so it's straight?" Callen asked the tech duo. The images at present where tilted in the same way he had tilted Marty's head, and he really didn't want anything on this footage to give away who had taken it.

"Of course." Eric answered, he had been trying to keep his eyes from the screen as much as possible. He had already seen it once, and he really didn't need to see it again thank you very much. So with a few clicks of his keys the image straightened.

"That's good." Deeks said, gulping as he pulled himself back to the here and now. Back to what he was supposed to be doing which was making sure they had all the evidence they needed. Making sure that it was usable in court and that they could cut out anything that gave him and G away. After that Deeks made sure he kept his mind away from what he had been doing, or more what had been done to him, while this footage was taken, and concentrated on what it was they had caught.

It didn't take long before they found the evidence that he had been sent in there to collect, but before Deeks could tell Nell to stop, G was once more on the screen. Though now he had a look on his face that was very much one of the cat who had gotten all the cream. The smile was smug, but his eyes still held the fire of desire burning bright in them. And Deeks once more was caught by the look, remembering the feel of the other man's hand as he pulled him from the wall and out through the club. He had no idea what was going on with him, but he knew whatever it was, it really wasn't good. Because this had just been an op, a cover, and he really shouldn't be feeling anything about re-watching what had happened on it. Just what the hell did all this mean?

But then it was over, and there was nothing but a blank screen in front of them, and silence from all those who had been watching.

"Well that was fun, but I think I'm going to head out." Kensi said, her voice sounding loud to her own ears in the silence. But something about what she had seen made her want to be anywhere but where Callen and Deeks were right then. It was as if she had seen something she shouldn't have, something personal.

"Night Kens." Sam nodded to her with a smile before turning his eyes back to the two men standing the other side of the table. The two who were very much not looking at each other.

"You good to sort out what you need for the LAPD?" Callen asked Deeks his steel will in place to make sure his voice was calm as if nothing of importance had happened. Giving the impression that the way he had looked at Deeks was nothing special, even if he knew deep down it seriously was.

"Yeah. You get off." Deeks nodded, before turning to Nell and Eric, grabbing a chair so he could join them and they could cut the footage as needed. He needed to concentrate on the case, and nothing else.

With that Callen turned and walked out of ops, followed closely by his partner. Sam wasn't going to let G off that easily. He needed to know what he had just seen, needed to know if the suspicions he now had were true.

"G, a word." He said quietly leading the other guy to the railings that looked over the mission and bullpen below, both turning their eyes to watch as Kensi grabbed her stuff.

"What's up?" Callen asked turning to his partner once she was gone. He was leaning causally against a post with a curious expression in his eyes. As if he had no idea what it was Sam wanted to talk about.

Damn did Sam ever hate that look from his partner.

"what's going on with you and Deeks?" He asked jumping right in. There was no point trying to sugar-coat his question with G. The guy could get out of anything if you did that.

"It was just a cover Sam. That's all." Callen replied with a shrug, as if dismissing this conversation as nothing of importance.

"That wasn't just a cover G, and we both know it." Sam growled at him. He was not going to let his partner play it this way. He knew what he saw, and he knew G knew it too.

"It was to him," Callen responded in a serious tone, his eye burning holes in Sam's as he spoke the words, hoping that his partner would understand and drop it before he relaxed back and continued. "And it was to me."

Sam just stood there and looked at him. He knew what he was saying. While G may well have feelings for the kid, Deeks did not return them. He felt sorry for the man in front of him, he really did, but he also knew that it was better that way. I mean relationships at work never ended well. At least G knew where he stood with the other man, and he knew his partner would act accordingly. Everything was fine, he didn't need to give G any sort of pep talks or any of that crap. He had it all under control. With that realisation he nodded, before turning to make his way back to his desk. It was late, and he wanted to get home.

And G watching him walk away breathed a sigh of relief as he sagged against the railings. Because while he may have been able to fool Sam, his head and his heart seemed to be less inclined to believe his words, or the actions he had decided to take. Namely none. But he could work on that. He would work on that. Because he would let nothing, and he meant nothing, harm the family he now had. Not even his own feelings for one of them.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello my darlings. I would like to thank Einhornsirup, KBLFan and Petunia3116 for the reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So firstly really sorry about the long time for this update. I had a bad case of writers block. But I think I have resolved it now. Anyway I know this isn't the longest chapters, but there is a reason for that.**

 **Now I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS: LA.**

* * *

By the time Deeks made it back to his apartment, it was late. Very late. In fact it was so late some would say there was little point in him trying to get any sleep before he had to get up and take the evidence they had gathered to the LAPD. But that wasn't going to stop him trying. Therefore he quickly changed and fell into his bed, hoping for the blissful relief of sleep to take his mind away from wherever it was. Because even as he worked with Nell and Eric he hadn't been able to find any way to settle whatever the hell was going on inside him after watching the footage and remembering the kiss, or kisses he had shared with G. No matter how much he had tried. And oh did he ever try.

And now he was home and in bed, but every time he closed his eyes all he could see was the look on G's face before he kissed him, and then the feel of his lips on his, and how his mind seemed to disappear. Well at least it was better than the nightmares that had been plaguing him for the last couple of nights. Not that that helped much, he still couldn't damn well sleep. And this was one problem he could most definitely not call G about. He needed to work this one out on his own.

Therefore taking a deep breath he rolled onto his back so he could stare up at the ceiling of his darkened room, trying to figure out what the hell was going on with him. Okay. The faster heartbeat, barely being able to breathe, the absence of his mind during that first kiss… if it had been a woman doing all that to him he would say he fancied her… but it wasn't. It was a G Callen, who most definitely was a man. And Deeks wasn't interested in men. Okay sure he could spot a good looking guy and appreciate the male form, but he had never found himself sexually attracted to it. But was he really now? Or was it more a response to the behaviour G had had during the kiss and… well it all? Was that why he was feeling like this? Just an automatic reaction to being desired by another? Then there was the fact that he very much doubted that G had actually meant any of it. It was a cover after all, an op. they had both agreed that in the car.

Was that why G had asked those questions with the comms off? Did he realise that maybe he had read more into it than G had intended? Had he realised that his mind had been swept away by the first touch of his lips? Oh god, did G think he fancied him? Oh that was so not good. How was he going to face the guy if he thought that? How would G thinking he liked him change the friendship that had been growing between them? Because if there was one thing Deeks did know, it was that he didn't want to lose that. The bond they had formed, the brotherhood that had grown while G helped him deal with his memories of the past. And he really didn't want G to grow distant with him because he believed that he was attracted to the guy. Because he wasn't. He did not like men.

But if that's true… then what the hell was going on with him? With a groan Deeks rolled over and buried his head in the pillow in the hopes that he could drive the confusing thoughts from his mind. Of course when he took a breath in he realised that the pillow he was lying on did not smell like him. No it smelt like the man he was trying to drive from his mind. Damn it. It was the one G had used when he had ended up sleeping on his bed. At that memory, one where he remembered the comforting hold the older man had given him while he recovered from his nightmare, he growled before pulling the pillow off his bed and throwing across the room.

He needed to get G Callen out of his head. It was just an op, coupled with the closeness that had grown between them as G helped him with getting his mask back in place. It didn't mean anything.

And repeating this mantra in his head Deeks finally managed to fall into an uneasy sleep, one which was filled with dreams of lips upon his own, and feelings he couldn't name surfacing in his mind.

* * *

Callen sat in his chair, he didn't even try to get some sleep. He knew none would come that night. No he needed to spend time getting himself together, getting his mask back under control so he could go back to work tomorrow as if nothing had ever happened. As if his feelings for Marty hadn't taken a drastic change for the sexual. As if he didn't want more than anything to go to him right now, to crawl into his bed and hold him. No. That wasn't an option. He and Deeks did not have that kind of relationship, they would never have that kind of relationship. It was time to build up the walls that had slowly been coming down with his growing friendship with the kid. Because he could not, no would not, let his feelings come in the way of his family.

He needed to take a step back. He and Deeks had become too close. Though how that had happened in just three days Callen still had no clue. But the how didn't matter, all that did was his plan going forwards. He needed to get his mask back in place. And sitting there thinking that Callen couldn't help the smirk that appeared on his face at the irony of the situation. That only a few days ago he was trying to help Deeks do the same thing. Luckily he was used to doing this on his own. It was who he was, he was the only one he could completely depend on. The only one he could trust one hundred percent. And he was the only one he could ever let know of the truth inside him. The only one who he could ever let see his feelings for the younger man.

It would take some doing, Callen knew that. And he knew he was going to have to pull away from the kid. He didn't want to hurt him, but he knew that he couldn't close off the feelings if he was spending time with him alone in his apartment. He needed to return to the aloof team leader, being Marty's brother would have to take a back seat. For now. Just until he had himself back under control.

God damn did he hate that idea. The knowledge that what he was planning on doing to save his family, would hurt the one who meant so much to him. But there was nothing else for it. No other recourse he could take. Because nothing could ever happen between them. Deeks did not feel that way about him, so he needed to make sure he never knew the truth.

With the plan decided in his mind Callen took a deep breath before he moved towards his bedroom, sitting down on his bed roll as he reset the chess board on the floor next to him. He knew the methodical movements of the pieces as he tried to beat himself would help settle his mind. Remind him that he alone was the only one who knew all the secrets he held close to his heart. Therefore while forcing his breathing even, he started the game, talking away in mainly different languages as he moved the pieces around the board. Taking his mind off his feelings as he engaged himself in conversation, slipping from language to language with ease, all the while pitting his wits on the chess board against the only person he knew he could be completely open with.

By the time the game came to an end, the black beating the white with the smallest of margins Callen had once more found the place in his mind that allowed his mask to shine through as easily as breathing. It would be all right now, everything would be alright. And as he sat there watching the room lighten as the sun rose he found himself smiling at the day to come. Because it would be the same as any day at work. He would make sure of that. Because nothing could ever upset his family. For they were the most important people in his world and he was once again ready to face them. He had his plan, and he had his mask. He needed nothing else to face the coming day.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello my dears. I would like to thank** **tgMoony, Einhornsirup,** **Petunia3116 and raspberry dreams for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So sorry for the long absence, I have had a major writers block concerning this story. But I think I have it sorted now. I also believe there won't be that many more chapters left, we'll have to see. Anyway I hope you like this one.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS: LA.**

* * *

Everyone was in the bullpen when Deeks arrived having to detour on his way in to go to drop the evidence off at the LAPD. He wasn't sure what to expect after what they had all seen the previous day, he still wasn't sure what the hell was going on in his own mind. But he did know how to hide it all. Therefore it was with his usual sunny smile and swagger he dropped his bag upon his desk. Acting as he would any other day.

"Good morning people." He said mask firmly in place as his eyes seemed to automatically flicker to G before anyone else.

"Deeks." Callen replied with a nod of his head, making sure that the eye contact was minimal. He couldn't sit there staring into the younger man's eyes, however much he wanted to.

"Partner, you're late." Kensi said, a little too loudly as she tried to work through what she had felt the previous evening watching Deeks and Callen kiss, and what she was witnessing now. Namely that everything was back to normal. Normal. She could do that right? Even if the image of the way Callen had looked at Deeks was still clearly in the front of her mind.

"I had to drop the evidence at the LAPD, Fern. It takes time." Deeks replied giving her his usual flirty smile in the hopes of getting her to relax. She was far too tense, and he didn't need any reminders about what had happened during the last op. The way G had looked at him, how that and the kisses had made him feel. No don't think of that.

"That go okay? They got what they needed?" Sam asked turning to the younger man wondering how he was doing. I mean he had been through some stuff of late, and he wanted to make sure he was okay. Especially as it seemed G was taking a back seat from the guy. Well he could understand that. I mean no doubt it was hard enough to work with someone you held a torch for, it would be even harder to rein those feelings in after the op they had just completed. But he trusted G to do what he needed to do to get it all back under control.

"Yep. It's all sorted. The Martinez Cartel should soon come tumbling down." Deeks answered falling into his chair as he pulled his laptop out of his bag and started it up. He had to write a report on the op for his bosses, but that was easy enough to do, well as long as he didn't mention the kissing his NCIS backup thing at any rate.

"Good work." Sam responded with a sincere smile. He was glad they had been able to help achieve that result. The cartels were a bane to anyone who lived in LA after all.

"Thanks." Deeks replied somewhat surprised that those words had come from Sam. The guy was usually harder on him than the rest of the team. If he had expected anyone to say that to him, he would have thought it would be G. With the thought of that man, his eyes unconsciously flittered to stare at him, sitting across from him head down doing paperwork of his own. Or though Deeks was sure his fingers weren't actually moving across the keys. It was as if he was just staring at the screen.

Sam noticed how Deeks eyes seem to move to G and he couldn't help but frown. Why was the kid looking at his partner? G didn't need that. Oh sure he knew he was okay, and he would get over his feelings for the detective, but Sam also knew that it would be better if Deeks didn't behave any differently around him. Therefore he resolutely set himself the task of keeping an eye on younger man. He needed to make sure he didn't make things more difficult for G than they needed to be.

* * *

Callen felt eyes on him, and he knew who they belonged to. He tried his hardest to not look up, to do some work, or at least pretend to. But in the end he couldn't help it. It was involuntary, almost as if his body had a mind of its own. As such, once silence settled around the bullpen his eyes flicked up, only to collide with the baby blue ones of the man who he was trying his hardest not to think about. He found it easy to read the confusion in them, though Callen couldn't figure out the source.

They stared at each of a second too long before Deeks lowered his own, turning to his laptop screen telling himself it meant nothing. But even he could feel the slightly faster heart rate that look had caused him. Just as he was aware that he wanted to blush for some unknown reason. What was going on with him? Why was he acting this way with G of all people? Kensi, okay he could maybe understand that. She was a very attractive woman. But G? Sure he was hot, if you liked that sort of thing. But he never had. Did he now? Was that all it took to open up that side of him, one, maybe two, kisses? Was he now as interested in men as he was women?

Arrh. This was crazy. He wasn't gay. Not that there was anything wrong with being gay, it was just… he wasn't. Or at least he that was what he had believed. But now? He was displaying all the physical attributes to finding someone attractive. That someone was G. He needed to know if this was due to nothing more than the fact the older man had helped him and they had become close before the kissing thing, or if there was a possibility he liked men. One he had never countenanced before and therefore had never really explored. Was that even possible? Could he have ignored one side of himself? Ignored the fact that he found men attractive, in favour of women and what society told him was the convention? He needed to know, but how to find out? it wasn't like he could ask G to kiss him again so he could see if it affected him the same way, mainly because he had a feeling it would. Plus that wouldn't tell him if it was just G and there recent closeness, or if it was men in general.

It was then he hit upon a plan to help him solve this question. He needed to go a gay bar and see if any of the men in it affected him the way G did. Find out if kissing one of them felt as right as kissing G did, as world tipping amazing as the feel of the older man's lips on his own had been. Find out if any others could cause him to lose his mind completely in the storm that they could create with such affectionate touches. Tonight, he would go to a gay bar tonight. With a plan now in his mind Deeks turned back to what he was supposed to be doing, and tried his hardest not to look up and across the bullpen. Something he knew he failed at hopelessly.

* * *

Callen frowned as Deeks looked away from him. Not because he looked away, in fact he was grateful that he had done that. If he hadn't Callen knew he wouldn't have been able to look away from the gorgeous man sat across from him. No, he frowned at the look the younger man had on his face when he did so. It wasn't just the confusion he had seen in his eyes when they meant, there was something more. It was as if something was troubling him. Was it his behaviour? The distance he was determined to put between them? Had he upset Marty by not speaking more? Damn it. He had been fine before the younger man had turned up. He had even believed he had had his walls back in place, and he had convinced himself that this would be easier than this. That he would be able to take the step back he needed to do for his family. But now he knew what crap that was. Because at the first hint that he had hurt the Marty, all he wanted to do was go over there and apologise. Get him to tell him what it was that was concerning him and solve it for him. But if it was him? How could he solve that? He needed to get a grip of himself. His family came first, and Marty didn't like him, not in that way…

But maybe he didn't need to be so brutal as to cut all ties with the younger man. Maybe he could still keep the brotherhood they had developed. Because he knew from that one simple look there was no way he could cause Marty any pain. He could control himself, he would have to. Because he couldn't not be there for the younger man. Yes. He needed to help him. It would be fine.

With that realisation made in his mind Callen decided he would go round Marty's apartment that evening, go and make sure he was okay and show him that what they had been before the op was still there. Yes, they could still be brothers, he would just have to keep a tight hold on his own feelings. But for Marty he could do that, right? Hmmm, he was coming to the worrying conclusion that for Marty he could do anything. He wasn't sure what to do with that idea, so instead of trying to work it out he pushed it from his mind and turned to do his work. Tonight. They could sort everything out tonight.


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello my lovelies. I would like to thank Petunia3116 for the wonderful review. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So after this chapter there are only a couple left. Just giving you a heads up.**

 **Anyway I hope you enjoy this one.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS: LA.**

* * *

Callen pulled up outside Deeks' apartment an hour after they had finished work. He wanted to give the other guy time to settle down before they talked. He didn't want to ambush him as soon as they had left the bullpen. But as he went to climb out of his car and make his way to Marty's door he saw the man in question walking down the stairs. That caused him to frown. Where was he going? Callen knew he should get out of his car and call out to the younger man, or drive off, but instead he found himself waiting until Marty's car pulled out of his parking lot and he then proceeded to follow him. He shouldn't be doing this. He knew he shouldn't be doing this. But he wanted to know where he was going… and who it was he was going to see. At first Callen had thought Marty was just going to his local bar or something, but as he drove further away from his apartment, Callen became more and more confused, and wanted more and more to know Marty's destination. Though when they reached it he wasn't sure if he would have preferred not to know. Because the bar outside of which Marty Deeks pulled up outside of was not one Callen would ever have thought to see him inside again. Why was Marty going to a gay bar? Callen couldn't comprehend it. The only reason he could think of was that he was there to meet someone, and that whoever it was needed somewhere that anyone they knew was unlikely to frequent. But surely there were better places than a gay bar right?

Before he knew what he was doing Callen was following the younger man inside. Slipping through the door unnoticed by his mark or any of the other patrons, though the last was more because most of them had eyes for Marty. He didn't like that, it made his blood boil that these men thought they could look at the younger man as if he was a piece of meat. He wasn't, and he wasn't there for any of them, so they had better keep the hands off Marty, or they would have to deal with him.

Sticking to the shadows Callen made his way to the bar and grabbed a beer before finding the perfect position where he could watch over the younger man, without him seeing him. He sat and waited, determined to find out exactly why Marty was here. He needed to know what was going on.

* * *

Deeks had been in two minds about going to the bar that night. But he knew he needed to sort out what was going through his head, and it was the only way he could think to do it. But he made sure he choose his bar carefully, making sure it was one that no one he knew would ever enter. He did not want to be seen trawling a gay bar for men so he could see if he liked them or not. He also hadn't been sure what he should wear, and he had no Hetty to organise his outfit on this trip. So in the end he decided to just go with his normal clothes, I mean it wasn't like he was going out to pull, well he was, but not seriously. It was just an experiment, a test to see if his feelings for G were real or not.

Walking through the door he found the heady feeling of all eyes on him once more, and he couldn't stop the flirty smile appearing on his face. I mean he had a room of people ogling him, he liked it. But he did make sure not to make eye contact with any of the men there. Instead making his way directly to the bar and grabbing a beer. He felt he was going to need a drink to get through his plan that evening. But even once he had been served he still couldn't raise his eyes to look at the men around him. Couldn't bring himself to see if he found any of them attractive. Instead he found his beer bottle of the greatest interest. Or at least he did until someone sat down next to him.

"Hey, the names Simon." Said a gentle kind sounding voice which caused him to turn and look at the man who was now on the stool next to him, holding out his hand for him to shake.

"Marty." Deeks replied shaking the offered hand though he was not sure what to do after that. But even as he thought that he couldn't stop his eyes from cataloguing the guy's features. From letting his eyes roam over the man. Simon was older than him, by a good 10 years by his estimation and had soft brown eyes and short brown hair. He was fairly skinny and looked the least threatening guy you could ever meet, and his smile was friendly. His face held no sign of interest, of desire, just a friendly face in a sea of strangers. Deeks could feel himself relaxing in the man's company when he noticed that. This guy was expecting nothing from him, was asking for nothing. Deeks could cope with that. Because while he knew the whole point of coming here was seeing if he was attracted to men, he wasn't sure he could cope with someone showing too much interest in him.

"So Marty, why so shy?" Simon asked in a casual tone.

"Is it that obvious?" Deeks chuckled feeling embarrassed by his behaviour. Not that that would cause him to change it. He still hadn't looked round the room at the other men present.

"Well you're either shy or that beer bottle is work of art." Simon answered with a laugh of his own. His voice was soothing. Deeks liked it. He liked the gentle look in the guy's eyes, and the honest smile on his face. And thinking that he realised he could like this man, if he let himself. If he gave himself the chance to do so. Hmm, well it seemed he did find men attractive then, but it was a big step from academic appreciation to actually acting on those thoughts. The kiss would be the real decider.

So taking a deep breath he plastered on his best flirty smile as he stared into Simon's eyes and responded. "Maybe there was nothing else worth looking at before now."

* * *

Callen watched Marty sit at the bar, and he watched how he stared at his bottle giving off stay away vibes to all others in the room. He was glad about that. Obviously Marty was meeting someone here. With that realisation he thought he should probably go and leave the younger man to it, but he might as well finish his beer. He was just relaxing back when he saw someone approach. He thought it was Marty's friend, though he was even older than Callen himself was. But that was fine, Marty could be friends with who he liked. Of course that assumption was dispelled when they shook hands. You didn't shake hands with a friend. You did that with strangers. Tensing once more Callen narrowed his eyes as he watched them talk. As he watched Marty go from uncomfortable man, to the flirty friendly one he was used to seeing round the office. Oh no. He really didn't like that. And the look of interest in the other man's eyes was even worse. He had to get Marty out of there before he ended up in a situation. He had to save his Marty from that predator preying on him. With that he stood, all thoughts of remaining hidden disappearing from his mind as he stalked towards the two men at the bar, his narrow-eyed death glare focused solely on the one trying to pull his man.

* * *

Deeks was having a good time. He was relaxing and laughing and flirting, and he was just wondering how to orchestrate a kiss from the man next to him to see if it felt like it did when he kissed G. But before he could think of some subtle words to use Simon tensed and his eyes widened in alarm. He seemed to be staring over his shoulder, and Marty couldn't not turn round to see what it was that had caused such a sudden and perturbing reaction. Though when he did his mouth dropped open. Because stalking, there was no other word for it, towards them was the one and only G Callen. And he looked like he wanted to kill someone.

"G? What are you doing here?" Deeks managed to splutter out, but the man in question ignored him instead marched right into Simon's personal space.

"I think it's time you left." Callen growled in a very low, very dangerous tone towards the stranger who had the audacity to flirt with Marty.

But Simon was made of sterner stuff than that. So instead of doing as Callen had told him he turned to the man he had been chatting to. "Marty?" He asked, saying without words that he would stick by him if he needed him to.

At that Deeks rolled his eyes though his tone was hard when he spoke. "G, we're just talking."

"I know exactly what is going on Marty, thank you. Now you, leave." Callen replied not turning to look at the younger man, still glaring at the stranger who still hadn't removed himself from Marty's presence. He didn't like that.

Simon looked again at Marty who nodded. He wasn't in the mood to flirt any more. No he was in the mood to kill G Callen instead. At that Simon stood, he guessed that this was Marty's former partner, and that he was somewhat the jealous type. It did explain the younger man's behaviour earlier. He didn't like leaving him with him, but what could he do? So with one last look he walked away.

As soon as the stranger had gone Callen signed before collapsing into the seat he had just vacated and looked at Marty for the first time as he spoke. "What are you doing here, Marty?"

"What am I doing here? Last I checked it was a free country. What are you doing here?" Deeks snapped with a glare.

"I followed you." Callen replied with a shrug, unconcerned about how that would sound. He wasn't going to lie to Marty and tell him he just happened to be passing. There was no point.

"You what? Why?" Deeks demanded his eyes going even narrower if that was possible. He was not happy with that answer. How could G follow him like that? For what reason? He barely talked to him all day and then he did this? It was unbelievable.

"Because I wanted to talk. You know that guy wanted to bed you right?" Callen asked changing the conversation away from his actions and back to the reason he had intervened in the first place. He was just trying to protect Marty, what was so wrong with that?

"And so what if he did? He was cute." Deeks shrug smirking at how Callen's eyes narrowed at those words. Served him right for interfering with his plan, damn him.

"What? Marty you're not gay." Callen ground out through gritted teeth. Because even the idea that Marty found another guy attractive caused a burning sensation in his gut. A sensation he strongly believed was jealously. He had presumed he didn't have a chance with Marty because he didn't like men, but if the truth was it was because Marty didn't like him... he wasn't sure how to deal with that.

"How do you know that, huh?" Deeks questioned belligerently. Though the truth was that was what he had come to discover, whether his options had just widened considerably or not.

"Trust me, I know." Callen muttered though in truth he didn't. He just didn't like the idea of Deeks with other men. He could cope with him being with women, thinking that he had no chance because of his gender rather than any other reason, but this… this was something else.

"Well for your information I think I might like men." Deeks stated determined to get rid of G so he could carry on finding out if he did or not. Though what man would approach him after G's display he had no idea.

"You… think you might…? You don't think you like men Marty, you either do or you don't." Callen responded in exasperation. What was going on here? This was not what he had expected to be talking about tonight that was for sure.

"Yeah well this is all your fault." Deeks grumbled. If Callen hadn't looked at him like he had, if he hadn't kissed him as he had, then he wouldn't have even considered the idea of being with a man. Now it was all he could think of, well in truth, it was more being with one man in particular was all he could think of. The one who happened to be sitting across from him.

"How is it my fault?" Callen demanded, what had he done? Okay sure he had kissed Marty, but one kiss couldn't cause this reaction in the younger man. Especially considering he said he was fine after it and that it was just a cover. Marty hadn't been affected by it at all, so how was this his fault?

"Before that kiss I never had these feelings for men, and now I can't get you out of my head." Deeks snapped, no longer thinking what he was saying just wanting to make G realise what he had done. How he had caused this confusion in his mind with one damn unbelievably good kiss, well two. But still.

"Wait. You can't get me out of your head? How does that bring you to a gay bar trying to pull other men?" Callen asked blinking in confusion. Surely if Marty had feelings for him, which he wasn't sure he did, but if he did then the obvious thing to do was to investigate them with him, not some damn stranger.

"Because I need to know if the feelings I have for you are real."

At that Callen sat there staring at the man in front of him. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Marty had feelings for him. Marty had been thinking about their kiss. Marty had come here to see if those feelings were real. Well that last was the stupidest plan he had ever heard. He won't find that out by kissing other men, he would only discover the truth on that one by kissing him. At that realisation Callen's eyes darkened as he looked at Marty as he had done the previous night. He then stood, threaded his hands through the younger man's hair and waited a beat, giving him a chance to pull away. But when he didn't Callen closed the distance between them and kissed Marty with all the passion and feeling and desire he felt for the man.

* * *

Deeks couldn't believe he had said that. That he had told G that he had feelings for him. He wanted to curl up and die, but he had just been so angry at his stupid display of protection. It had just come out. He was about to say something, or leave or… it was at that exact moment that G's eyes changed. It was the look he had seen on the scene in ops, but more. He felt like a rabbit trapped in the headlights. He could do nothing but stare at the man in front of him as he moved to push his hands into his hair. Just sat there barely breathing as he waited, half with hope and anticipation, and half with fear at what would happen next. And then the next came and G's lips were on his once more and again he thought nothing else. All he could do was feel. Let the emotions rush through him to fast for him to determine what they were, but one thing was very clear. It hadn't been a one off the previous night.

When Deeks' mind finally caught up with what was happening it was to find himself kissing G back just as fiercely as he was being kissed. His arms were wrapped around the older man's waist, and he had pulled him so he was now standing between his legs, their chests pressed together. It was amazing, and awesome, and it certainly had parts of Deeks waking up. Oh yeah, he was definitely attracted to G Callen, no question about that. As for other men he had no idea, but right then he really didn't care. The only one that mattered was the one in his arms.

When Callen finally pulled back from the kiss he was pleased to note they were both breathing heavily and Marty's eyes were blown wide with desire. He couldn't help but smirk as he asked. "Did that feel real?"

"Oh yeah." Deeks breathed his body leaning towards the man standing in from of him of its own accord.

"Then does it really matter about anyone else?" Callen asked smoothing Marty's hair with his hands as he stared lovingly into his eyes. Marty cared for him, had feelings for him. He had a chance of having the one person he wanted more than anyone else, and he wasn't going to let anything get in the way of that. No matter how difficult this could make his life. Because he cared for Marty too much to give him up now or ever.

"No." Deeks shook his head. It really didn't matter if he was interested in other men, because not one of them could ever hold a candle to the one standing in front of him. The only one he really wanted.

"Good. Let's go. I think we need to talk." Callen replied, stepping away from Marty so that the younger man could stand. The conversation they needed to have would be much better had in private.

"Agreed." Deeks nodded before standing and taking G's hand and leading him out of the bar, giving Simon a sunny smile and a nod as they went past. Deeks had no idea what was going to happen now, all he knew was that he wanted this, he wanted G, and that really was the only important thing in his mind.


	12. Chapter 12

**Hello my darlings. I would like to thank** **tgMoony and elsje1967** **for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

 **So here is the last chapter, excluding the epilogue. I want to take this time to thank you all for the support you have given me throughout this story. Your comments and reviews really help to motivate me to write more, and I am glad you have all enjoyed reading what I have written.**

 **Anyway enough from me for now, here is the chapter, I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS: LA.**

* * *

On the drive back to his apartment Deeks found his mind swinging one way and then the next, alternating mainly between a desire to take things further with G and fear at the line they had both just crossed without thought. It went quickly from excitement at the idea of finding out just what he felt for the other man, to find out just how good they could be together, to terror at the same concepts. He had no idea how G felt about him, though he presumed he liked him as well. Surely he wouldn't kiss him like that if he didn't, right? But what was it G wanted from him? He had told him he was trying to find out if his feelings were real, and now he knew they were, he had to wonder if G had only kissed him so he could get his answer. And if that was the case, then what was going to happen now? Would G expect him to jump into bed with him? Was he ready for that? No. He definitely wasn't. He knew that much, just as he knew G would never force him to do so. But what would happen between them if he turned G down? How would it affect their friendship, their working relationship? There were so many unknowns that by the time Deeks pulled into his parking space he had become a nervous wreck.

Callen for his part had also been thinking on the drive back. He was glad he and Marty had sperate cars, it gave him time to think clearly about what was going to happen next. About what he wanted, and what he and Marty could be. He understood that the idea of being with him was new to Marty, hell the idea of being with a guy was new to the younger man. He accepted that and he knew if anything was to happen between the two of them they were going to have to take it slowly. What occupied most of his mind on that journey though was not Marty, or the revelation that his affections for him were returned. No, it was how any relationship between them would affect the balance of the team. What would happen to the working dynamics they had all forged together? Because he knew that if Sam and Kensi learnt of their relationship, if they were to have a relationship and he really hoped they did, but anyway, if they knew, then it would change everything. Sam would be pissed at him for lying, not that he had. Well, not that he believed he had. And Kensi… he wasn't sure how she would take it. He had gotten the impression she had a small crush on her partner. If he took him from her, how would she handle that? There were too many questions, too many unknown variables to resolve. But as he pulled up outside Marty's apartment he knew that none of that really mattered right then. No first he and Marty needed to decide what they wanted. They could deal with the rest when it came, hopefully.

* * *

Deeks saw G pull up, but rather than wait for him he made his way up to his apartment, leaving the door open for the older man as he walked into the livingroom, stopping only when he was standing in front of the far window with his back to the entrance. His mind was still spinning and whirling and he had no idea what to do now. He heard the door close behind him, and he felt a pair of eyes staring at his back. But he didn't say anything, couldn't say anything, because he, for the first time in his life, didn't know what to say.

Callen saw the tension in Marty's shoulders and signed to himself. He should have realised that he would freak out. I mean he remembered the day he discovered he liked men, and he had been a hell of a lot younger than Marty was. He wasn't sure what to do, should he stay where he was and start the conversation or… should he start as he hoped they would go on? Taking a deep breath he walked quietly across the room so that he was standing directly behind Marty, but not close enough for their bodies to touch. He gave him his personal space, though he did reach out and gently lay his hands on the younger man's hips as he spoke.

"What's up, Marty?" He asked gently his voice barely louder than a whisper, but clear enough that Deeks heard and understood what he was asking. And Deeks knew he needed to voice some of the fears in his mind. They needed to settle this, now, tonight. Before it went any further than it already had.

"What's going to happen now? I mean is this like a one night thing to you, or are you going to run into work tomorrow and tell everyone we're a couple?" He asked keeping his eyes fixed out the window. He knew as much as they needed to have this conversation, he couldn't look at G as he answered his question.

"Can you really see me doing that? Seriously, me?" Callen asked in sincere disbelief as he raised one eyebrow, his hands squeezing Marty's hips gently to give him the support and comfort he could see he needed. Neither of the options Marty had suggested were ones Callen wanted to go with, and he could tell from the way Marty had asked the question he felt the same.

"No... But..." Deeks replied visibly relaxing at the tone of the other man's voice, and the feel of his hands firmly holding onto him, grounding his mind from the terrors it conjured.

When he didn't say anything more, Callen took a step closer, so that the heat from his body was warming Marty's back, but they still did not touch. "We are whatever you want us to be."

"No, G. I'm asking what you want." Deeks responded with frustration. He was not going to be fobbed off with that damn line. He needed to know where he stood with G, he needed to know what his feelings were before he committed to anything. Before he allowed himself to step further down the road he was now walking with the man behind him.

At that Callen leant his head against Deeks' so he could whisper into his ear. The younger man had told him his feelings, it was time to return the favour.

"From the moment I first held you in my arms I have wanted to care for you, protect you and make love to you. But most of all I want to make you happy. So you tell me Marty, what do you want to happen now?"

"I... I don't know." Deeks stuttered in answer to those words. He wasn't sure what to say to such feeling from the older man, though his body did unconsciously lean backwards so that he was relaxing against G. Taking comfort from his presence and finding a peace wash over him at the closeness.

"Then how about we take it one step at a time and see where we end up? We don't need to plan everything." Callen replied moving so he could wrap his arms around Marty's middle and pull him more firmly against him. So he was holding him close, protected in his arms from anything that could hurt him.

"Okay." Deeks nodded, his own hand coming to rest on top of Callen's as he turned his head so he could rest his cheek against the older man's own.

They stood like that, Deeks still staring out of the window while wrapped in Callen's arms. They stood for a long while, allowing the silence to give them both comfort, along with the man they were with. Allowing their thoughts to settle, and their worries to ease.

When Deeks found his mind had finally found peace, that it accepted where he was, what he was doing and with whom, he knew it was time to take the next step. Because he now knew that G would stand like that with him forever if that was what he wanted. But it wasn't, he wanted more. Therefore he pulled his body away from G's, pleased to see that the other man did not stop him from doing so. Though he didn't move far, instead he turned so for the first time since the bar they were staring into each other's eyes. Deeks didn't say anything, he just raised his hand and cupped G's jaw, running his thumb over the stubble that had started to appear. It felt strange, he was so used to feeling smooth skin under his fingers. But it was a good strange. He liked the roughness, the friction it caused against the pads of his digits. Keeping his eyes locked with G's, Deeks slowly moved his head forwards, bringing his lips within millimetres of G's own. He stopped there for a second, wondering if the older man would close the distance and take control as he had done in all their other kisses, but G didn't. He stood and waited, allowing Deeks to set the pace, allowing Deeks to do as he wished. Allowing him to control their interaction. And Deeks couldn't stop the smile that appeared on his lips at that. Because that action alone told him all he needed to know. It told him that everything G had said had been the truth. He was prepared to go at any speed he wanted, and he would wait for him.

Closing the distance Deeks kissed G, for the first time initiating the embrace. The kiss was slow and gentle, a little uncertain at first, until Deeks gained more confidence. Gained a boldness to part G's lips with his tongue and slide it gently inside. Allowing him to explore at a pace he felt comfortable with. A pace that allowed his mind to remain fully there, and for his body to know completely what it was doing at all times. Made him have the first chance of knowing exactly what it was they were doing together.

There was no heated passion or fire in this kiss as there had been when Callen was the one in control. No, it was all slow gentleness and sweet innocence. It reminded Callen of the cautious first kisses he had shared when he had been a teenager, but there was no way he was going to change that. He loved it. Loved how it showed the vulnerability in the man with him. Loved how it allowed Marty to find his own path, find how it was he wanted them to be. How could Callen ever feel that that was anything but perfect? Marty was the one in charge here, he was the one who would dictate where they went and what they did, and he wanted to make sure the younger man knew that from the off. He was not going to pressure him into anything, because Callen was just so amazed and glad that he had Marty, he wasn't going to do anything to ruin it.

When they finally parted there was no heavy breathing or desire filled eyes, instead there was emotion radiating out of both men. An emotion that while they may not have known it then, would without doubt grow into love. This wasn't about lust, or sexual attraction, it was more than that. What they felt for one another was so much more and they both knew it. Therefore with a smile Deeks took Callen's hand and guided him to the couch, so they could continue to get to know this new side of their relationship in comfort. And Callen was more than happy to follow him, wherever he would lead.


	13. Epilogue

**Hello my dears. I would like to thank raspberry dreams and** **French fan (Guest) for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured this story.**

 **So here it is, the last chapter. Again thank you all for your support and love throughout this story and I hope you like how I am ending it. Enjoy.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS: LA.**

* * *

It took two months before Sam started to question the closeness that had developed between his partner and Deeks. He had been relieved when he had noticed that they seemed to have made up whatever differences they had after the LAPD case. He had also been glad when he had noticed that the friendship that seemed to have evolved between the two men went from strength to strength. He was happy that his partner had someone else he could talk to. Someone else who he felt he could trust enough to spend time outside of work with.

But as the time went on and he kept finding Callen's home empty whenever he went round to suggest they go for a beer or watch the game, well then Sam couldn't help but feel a bit of resentment towards the detective. Surely he didn't need to take up all of G's time, he was his friend too. Surely there was room for both of them. When they starting having private jokes, and seemingly ganging together in the office banter, Sam couldn't help but feel the bite of the green eyed monster. G was his partner, he was his brother. Deeks didn't have the right to have that kind of relationship with him. And as much as he tried to hide it, Sam knew his jealously of how the younger man had taken his place in Callen's life came through. He was harsher with him, more cutting in his comments, and more dismissive of his thoughts and ideas. He hated that he was doing it, but he couldn't seem to find a way to stop it.

Callen for his part was living in some sort of dream world. Marty was his, and together they were exploring their relationship. He had at first only spent a few hours at Marty's apartment a few times a week, but that quickly moved to him being there most nights, to then him staying over. Not that they had actually had sex yet, they hadn't got that far, but they did now share a bed. It seemed Callen was Marty's new favourite cuddly toy, and there was no way he was going to say no to that. He loved every minute he spent with the younger man, and he knew every second of that time caused his feelings for him to grown deeper. To grow more. He was completely convinced he was falling in love with the man, and what surprised him the most was the fact he didn't seem to mind. That he was happy that this was happening. Though that was probably due to the fact he knew Marty felt the same. He showed it every time they did something new together, in the physical sense. This was a man who had never considered being with a man before him, and now they were doing things straight men most definitely did not do with their friends. It was amazing and wonderful, and it filled his mind.

The only black spot on the horizon was Sam's behaviour. At first he just thought it was Sam being well… Sam, but as it escalated he didn't know what to think. He wondered often if his partner had worked out what was going on between him and Marty. But if he had surely he would have said something. I mean he didn't hesitate to approach him after the faithful LAPD op, so why would he hold back now? He couldn't work it out, but he was starting to find himself very uncomfortable with the atmosphere in the bullpen. Marty had even started disappearing whenever Sam was there it was getting that bad, and Callen couldn't let it continue. If for no other reason than the team could not function as it was. Therefore he decided to talk to his partner and find out just what his problem was. He arranged to go for a drink after work in a bar that no one from NCIS went to. It would make sure they could talk privately about whatever Sam's issue was.

That was how Sam found himself sitting at a table nursing a beer as his partner stared at him.

"Why we here G?" He asked with fake exasperation. Because in truth he was trying to hide the smug smile at the thought that G was with him and not Deeks.

"I want to know what your problem is with Deeks." Callen asked simply, removing all the smugness from Sam's mind. Of course he only asked him out to find out what was going on with him. It was all about the bloody detective wasn't it?

"I have no problem. You just seem to have gotten real close to the guy is all." He replied tried to keep his jealously in check. He knew he wasn't being fair to anyone involved, and he hated this feeling. Maybe this talk would help him. Would explain to him why it was that G seemed to prefer the floppy haired detectives company to his.

"Why'd you say that?" Callen asked frowning at Sam's words. The idea that Sam was pissed at him for spending all his time with Marty hadn't even crossed his mind. But now it had he realised he and Sam hadn't been out for a drink or properly talked in weeks. How hadn't he seen that before? Though he knew the answer to that one, his head had been filled with Marty and their relationship together.

"I have been round your house at least half a dozen times over the last few weeks and you're never there. Tell me G, where are you?" Sam asked suddenly letting his resentment go at the genuine confusion he saw in his partners eyes at his words. Surely G had realised that they hadn't been spending any time together. Surely he hadn't been so blinded by whatever friendship he had with Deeks he had noticed that, right?

"With Deeks." Callen replied simply not sure what else he could say. It was the truth after all.

"Why? What does he have that I don't?" Sam asked feeling stupid as soon as the words left his mouth. He sounded like some schoolyard kid, crying that his best friend had found someone new. He hated it

"Excuse me?" Callen asked blinking at his partner. What the hell was going on?

"Come on G. We're friends, yet we've barely spent any time together for a while now. I want to know what the hell is going on." Sam demanded. Enough of going on the defensive time for him to be offensive.

"My relationship with… Deeks is very different from ours Sam. I promise you that." Callen responded almost slipping up and calling Deeks, Marty. But then that was who he was when they were together alone. Who he was to him outside of work.

"Oh yeah, how?" Sam asked crossing his arms as he glared at his partner. He waited to hear about how they were both single men and went out of the pull together or something like that. Therefore the words Callen did say surprised the hell out of him.

"I love him." Callen answered, though his eye widened just as Sam's did, though for a different reason. His was that he had never said those words out loud before, he had thought that maybe he did, but to just come out and say it to his best friend... that was something else.

At those words Sam deflated. He should have realised that even G, the master at disguise, could not fool himself into not feeling for someone. He remembered the look he had seen G give Deeks on the screen in ops, and he remembered the conversation they had had afterwards where G had told him that Deeks didn't feel the same way. And in that moment all the jealously he had been feeling disappeared only to be replaced with worry and empathy for his partner who was spending his time with a man who did not love him back.

"Oh, G." He whispered in a heartfelt tone, wondering if there was anything he could do to help ease his friend's pain.

"No Sam, you don't understand." Callen responded, understanding dawning on him at Sam's tone of voice. He knew his partner thought his love was unrequited. He couldn't let Sam continue thinking that, because it was completely untrue.

"G, you can't get hung up on the guy. You need to let him go. We both know he's not into guys." Sam responded gently, hoping G would let him help him move on. But when his partner smirked at that comment he couldn't help but frown.

"True, not guys plural, thank god. But he is into me." Callen stated simply. It was time for Sam to know exactly what was going on with him and Marty, hell it was probably past time. He should have told him earlier, but he had been so wrapped up in it all he hadn't even considered it.

"What? Are you saying… you and Deeks? No way." Sam spluttered out. Because that was the last thing he had expected G to tell him. That he and Deeks, no… though it did explain so much about what had been going on in the last few months. And suddenly Sam saw the relationship between G and Deeks in a completely different light. Deeks wasn't taking G's friendship from him, he was taking a role completely different in G's life.

"Yes way." Callen responded his smirk growing at shock Sam had on his face. He was rather enjoying this now.

"Seriously? And does he love you too?" Sam asked hoping the answer was yes even if he couldn't imagine G and Deeks together. Couldn't picture them in his mind, though maybe that was a blessing.

"I hope so, I think so. It's more than just a casual thing, Sam." Callen explained, not sure how to describe what he and Marty were to each other. How to describe what they were doing and where he hoped they were going.

"But are you sure he's not just using you to… explore?" Sam asked delicately. He had to ask. I mean Deeks was a ladies man and yet now he was in a relationship with G? He had to make sure he wasn't using his friend to fulfil some sort of teenage experimentation stage.

"Very sure. I happy, we're happy." Callen answered without elaboration. He didn't need to think to know he and Marty were more than that. That what they had was more than just discovering physical pleasure together.

At Callen's words Sam thought. He still wasn't sure about this, but he could see that his partner truly was happy. And if Deeks was the man to do it, then so be it. He would let this play out, but so help him if the detective hurt his friend. He would make his life not worth living. But it was probably best not to mention that to G. So instead all he said was "okay."

"That's it?" Callen asked eyebrow raising at that one. He had expected a lecture in truth, about how he and Marty shouldn't be together. Okay was not the response he had anticipated that was for sure.

"What do you want me to say? Am I happy you're in a relationship with someone we work with? No. But I understand. Love doesn't give you a choice. Just be careful yeah? I don't want you to get hurt." Sam replied with shrug. He wasn't G's dad, he couldn't tell him what to do, but he could be there for him, be there to pick him up if he needed him to, be there to protect him.

"I will, if you promise to ease up on him a bit. You don't need to ride Deeks so hard, he is good at his job." Callen responded with a serious stare. He wanted, no needed, the man he thought of as a brother to get on with the man he loved.

"I know. And I will, I promise." Sam agreed with a nod. Though he added in his head as long as he didn't hurt G.

"Good." Callen nodded as well before turning the conversation to other things. To the more usual topics of conversation they shared on their nights out.

* * *

The day after Callen and Sam's drink Deeks found himself alarmed by how nice Sam suddenly had become. Of course his lover had told him of the conversation, and the reason behind the big guy's behaviour, but he certainly hadn't expected such a dramatic change of heart overnight. Not that he was going to question it, no it was nice having the Sam who he had started to know before he and G got together back again. He liked that Sam. He was a cool guy, and he knew he would always have the man he was pretty sure he was falling in love with's back.

And so everything settled down in the team, with Callen actually talking to Sam about him and Marty, spending time over drinks to discuss relationships and get advice from the married man. Everything went back to how it should be, and Sam even found himself thinking of Deeks as an extension of G and treating him accordingly. All was good at work.

* * *

It was another month before Deeks felt he was ready to completely give himself to G. To take that final step and see just how much he enjoyed making love to the other man. He had been nervous at the start, but it didn't take long before other feelings overrode that with ease. The end result was fantastic in his mind, it was perfect and pleasurable beyond measure. And he couldn't help but cry out the words "I love you G." as he climaxed.

When they were later lying in bed together, spent from the excursions he spoke once more.

"I meant it you know. I love you."

Callen couldn't help but smile at those words before turning his head and placing a kiss into Marty hair as he replied "I love you too, Marty. I love you too."

And with that said they both snuggled down together and fell into a blissful sleep. Smiles adorning both their faces as they saw only brightness in their furniture with the man they loved.

THE END

* * *

 **So that's it. Once again I want to thank you all for your support throughout this story, thank those of you who took the time to review. I love to hear what you have to say about my stories and I am glad you enjoyed reading this one as much as l enjoyed rewriting it.**

 **Anyway that's it, until next time my lovelies.**


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